Smoke rising near Manitou Springs briefly caused alarm Monday evening.
A fire had sparked off Highway 24 near the entrance of Cave of the Winds, creating a sizable smoke plume and shutting down part of the roadway.
Officials said at 9 p.m. that the fire was under control and crews were just remaining on scene to ensure nothing flared up.
“Tonight we expect about 12 mph sustained winds, so we are being extra vigilant in making sure we’re mopping up those hot spots,” said Manitou Springs spokesperson Alex Trefry.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Officials haven’t released the exact size of the fire, but it was described as being small. As seen in the photo at the top of this article, it primarily burned along the side of the road and didn’t creep far beyond that. There were never any structures threatened.