A wildfire east of La Junta that burned an estimated 1,500 acres and prompted the evacuation of residents in the area is now 95 percent contained, The Otero County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday afternoon in a Tweet.

Early Sunday, the flare up shut down U.S. 50 between Las Animas and La Junta for several hours. The highway was reported back open just before 7 a.m. 

The wildfire, dubbed the “Bent’s Fort fire” was initially reported near Colorado 194, in the area of The Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, which is about two hours southeast of Colorado Springs. 

The fire crossed from Otero County into Bent County Saturday evening, prompting a brief evacuation for Bent County residents between the county line and County Road 9, according to the Bent County Office of Emergency Management.

Massive Fire East of La junta The “Bent’s Fort Fire” Fire units from all most of southeast Colorado responding. No size up as of yet. pic.twitter.com/nXn0iMwiv0

— Otero County Sheriff – Colorado (@OteroSheriff) April 11, 2020

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