Gusty west winds are creating high fire danger in southeast Colorado Tuesday as a wildfire burns in Las Animas County near the New Mexico border.

Burning near southeast of Trinidad, the Schwachheim fire has grown to 646 acres, according to a Tuesday morning update from fire officials. The fire was initially discovered Sunday and then blew up on Monday, prompting Gov. Jared Polis to issue a disaster declaration for the blaze.

Winds up 35 to 45 mph are blowing across the southeast plains with humidity values as low as 10%, according to the National Weather Service’s office in Pueblo. The conditions have prompted several counties to be put under a red flag warning starting at 11 a.m. Tuesday and running until 8 p.m. El Paso County and other neighboring counties are also under a stage two burn restriction.

Incident Commander Phil Daniels said in the update that the fire is burning through grass and brush in an old burn scar area of rugged, steep drainage systems west of the Lake Dorothey Reservoir. Grass and brush burn hot and move fast, though not as long as other fuels.

Overnight growth was seen in the east drainage area. Erratic and shifting winds combined with difficult to navigate terrain made it hard to prevent the blaze’s spread, according to the update.

The Colorado Type 3 Incident Management Team has taken control of the wildfire, said Tracy LeClair, a spokesperson for the Wildland Fire Management Section of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.

There are around 100 personnel, at least two large air tankers and two helicopters currently working the blaze, according to county officials and the National Interagnecy Fire Center (NIFC). More resources have been requested.

No infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, LeClair said. The team’s top priority is to make sure the wildfire doesn’t spread to a watershed that Rataon, a city in New Mexico, uses.

A small campground and possible trail networks around the lake are the only damages so far, LeClair said.

A temporary flight restriction is in effect for the airspace above the fire.

The wildfire is believed to be naturally caused, the NIFC said.

The Lake Dorothey State Wildlife Area is closed until further notice, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Dean Miller said.

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Another round of high fire danger is expected Thursday, with winds expected to gust up to 50 mph. Fire weather watches have already been put in place for much of the plains ahead of time.

“There is a concern it could grow,” LeClair said, noting weather conditions, terrain and fuels are the three factors fire officials are monitoring.

Crews are working to build hand-made containment line while aircrafts drop retardant on the flames to hopefully prevent a spread, but LeClair said it’s very dependent on those three factors.

Since the fire is burning through a burn scar, LeClair said there hasn’t been a lot of new regrowth in some areas, which has helped moderate fire behavior. But grass and shrubs have regrown in others. This can help carry the fire quicker, LeClair said, especially among higher winds.

Another concern for firefighters are unstable or dead trees and hanging branches that are called “widow makers.” These can fall on crews and potentially be lethal under certain circumstances, LeClair said.

A passing weather system will bring snow to the highest terrain, especially along the Continental Divide, through the day, with gusty westerly winds of 35 to 45 mph across the southeast Plains bringing another day of High Fire Danger, this morning through 8 PM tonight. #cowx pic.twitter.com/p6vHhE1ROH

— NWS Pueblo (@NWSPueblo) April 14, 2026

The higher terrains will see a stark contrast as a passing weather system is expected to bring snow to the areas Tuesday, especially along the Continental Divide.

Meteorologist Casey Dorn of Gazette news partner KOAA said some zones in the southern mountains could get 6-8 inches of snow. A few light rain showers are also possible in Teller County this afternoon.

The following counties are under a red flag warning Tuesday:

• Southern El Paso County (including Fort Carson and Colorado Springs)
• Pueblo County
• Huerfano County
• Las Animas County
• Crowley County
• Otero County
• Kiowa County
• Prowers County
• Baca County