A highway four miles south of Rocky Ford in Otero County closed temporarily Friday afternoon as firefighters battled a blaze whipped by high winds. Firefighters doused the smoky grass fire late in the day.
The Otero County Sheriff’s Office reported the fire around 2:30 p.m., according to a tweet from the undersheriff.
Colorado 71 northbound was closed between Colorado 10 and Otero BB.5, the Colorado Department of Transportation reported. It reopened around around 3:30 p.m.
All units, firefighters and support including sheriff’s office staff, had the fire out and cleared the scene at about 5 p.m., according to an Otero County dispatcher.
The Rocky Ford Fire Department worked on the fire and mutual aid was requested, the undersheriff said on Twitter.
The fire was one of several burning across Colorado as strong winds blew. The winds also have caused road closures because dust storms are causing poor visibility.
