Rollover sparks wind-driven grass fire south of Peetz; evacuations ordered

PEETZ, Colo. — A rollover crash in high winds sparked a rapidly spreading grass fire south of Peetz on Wednesday, prompting evacuations, a highway closure and a large multi-agency response.

Sterling dispatch requested agency assistance at 1:32 p.m. Wednesday for a grass fire near mile marker 12 on Colorado Highway 113 in Logan County. The fire was reported to have grown to more than 100 acres as strong winds pushed flames across open ground.

The Sterling Fire Department said crews were "making good progress along multiple flanks but continue to fight the wind" at 2:30 p.m. People were asked to avoid the areas as crews work.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, the fire began after a crash on Highway 113.

“We had a pickup truck hauling an empty cargo container on a flatbed trailer that was northbound on Highway 113 six miles south of Peetz,” the Colorado State Patrol told News Channel Nebraska. “Due to the high winds, it flipped. The resulting sparks on the rollover set the fire off.”

Highway 113 is closed at the intersection with Highway 138 east of Sterling to Peetz because of fire activity.

Evacuation orders have been issued for the town of Padroni and the surrounding area. Officials are urging residents in the area to leave immediately if they are in the path of the fire. Residents near Highway 113 at mile post 12 and surrounding areas are encouraged to evacuate if they believe they are in front of the advancing fire and to monitor emergency alerts from Logan County for updates. A shelter has been set up at the Logan County Fairgrounds in Sterling.

Multiple county, local and regional resources are responding to the blaze. Brush trucks, water tenders and a strike team were requested, and air resources were being brought in to assist with suppression efforts.

The fire is burning amid critical fire weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. Wednesday for much of the Colorado plains, including Logan, Morgan, Sedgwick, Phillips and Washington counties. The National Weather Service in Denver reported northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph and relative humidity as low as 15%, creating conditions favorable for rapid fire spread.

Wind gusts across northeast Colorado were reported around 60 mph Wednesday afternoon. In Sidney, Nebraska, a 61 mph wind gust was recorded at 2 p.m.

Smoke from the fire was visible as far north as Sidney.

No information was immediately available regarding injuries in the rollover crash or damage to structures. Additional details are expected as crews continue to battle the fire.