The 24 fire, burning along Colorado 115 between Colorado Springs and Penrose, has scorched 7,385 acres and is at zero percent containment, according to a Fort Carson spokesperson.

The blaze, which started Wednesday morning along the east side of the highway before jumping onto Fort Carson land, was reported at 4,600 acres as of Sunday evening.

Firefighting crews have placed a priority on keeping the fire from crossing to the west side of 115, working to box in the flames with a combination of “backburn operations and fire activity,” Fort Carson officials said.

Agencies from across the region have gathered to battle the blaze with 170 personnel, 16 fire engines, 5 helicopters and 3 fixed-wing aircraft, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Crews have been routinely patrolling the highway in an effort to keep it from threatening homes and properties on the west side. No injuries or structural damage have been reported.

Mandatory evacuations southwest of the fire were in effect within a 2-mile radius of County Road 245 and Colorado 115, with a pre-evacuation order within a 3-mile radius. On Monday afternoon, the pre-evacuation order was lifted and the evacuation order shifted to a pre-evacuation status, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office announced.

The livestock shelter at Pathfinder Park Event Center will remain open for owners to reclaim their animals until Tuesday at noon. Anyone who needs more time to repossess their animals can call 719-251-0245.

The American Red Cross of Southern Colorado will be closing its evacuation shelter at the park, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

A town hall meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Penrose Elementary School gym by the Fremont County Office of Emergency Management for those impacted by the fire.

Firefighters battling the 24 fire continued to maintain control lines with no new acreage burned, a Fort Carson official said in an update Monday afternoon.

Commuters to the army base are encouraged to avoid using Gate 6 to limit traffic around the road closure at mile marker 39.

An additional pre-evacuation warning along Colorado 115 north of the fire in El Paso County, which was issued by the Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, was lifted on Monday afternoon.

Monday’s weather forecast for the Penrose region calls for mostly sunny (and smoky) skies, light to moderate winds and a high of 73 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Pueblo.

Colorado 115 is still closed between Fort Carson and Penrose and is expected to remain so through at least Friday, but “will be reevaluated daily,” officials said.

A long list of mutual aid partners have joined Fort Carson Fire in its response:

Department of Defense

Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station

Air Force Academy

Schriever Space Force Base

Local fire departments

Black Forest

Falcon

Highway 115 Station

Hanover

Security

Stratmoor Hills

Cimmaron Hills

Northwest Teller

Colorado Springs

Fountain

Others

U.S. Forest Service

Colorado Springs Utilities

Arden Solutions Incorporated

EVACUATION CENTER

An evacuation center is set up at Pathfinder Park in Florence. Residents needing assistance, including support for pets and livestock, are encouraged to report there and speak with a Red Cross or Community Animal Response Team (CART) representative.

For additional information, call the Emergency Operations Center hotline at 719-276-7421.