Update Thursday, March 19 1:30 p.m.:
The Custer County Sheriff’s office reported that the Buttermilk Fire was 75 percent contained as of 11 a.m. this morning. Additionally, the cause of the fire was determined to be an aspen tree falling onto a Sangre de Cristo powerline, which has an automatic setting to reconnect the power. This function will be disabled for fire season, so any time a failure occurs, crews will have to check the lines before the power is turned back on.
The estimated size of the fire remains at 80 acres with no injuries or structures lost.
Fifteen homes remain under mandatory evacuation orders and verified residents may be escorted in to pick up pets and supplies. The Pines Ranch and Spread Eagle neighborhoods were slated to re-open to residents this afternoon, but people were advised to remain ready to evacuate if the situation changes.
Update Thursday, March 19 8:45 a.m.:
The Buttermilk fire burning near Westcliffe is 10 percent contained as of late Wednesday night. The Custer County Sheriff's Office estimates 60-80 acres of brush and timber have burned. A two-mile radius around the fire remains evacuated. Nearly 100 structures are within that area. None have been lost, as of 11 p.m.
Multiple agencies have responded to the fire, including performing helicopter water drops. State and federal investigators are looking into the cause.
Original story: Wednesday March 19, 7:17 p.m,
A small fire in Custer County near the town of Westcliffe prompted a number of evacuations on Wednesday afternoon and a request for specialized aircraft for a more accurate gauge of size.
Authorities currently estimate the so-called Buttermilk fire or Pines Ranch fire at 58 acres. It's located off Verdemont Rd, also known as County Road 182, and has an evacuation radius of 2 miles.
In a social media post, the Custer County Sheriff's Office said deputies were going house to house, but expected many of the homes to be "second vacation homes." CCSO said the Saddle Club is open to take livestock, and The Lange Hall is open as an evacuation shelter.
A multi-mission aircraft is expected to fly over the fire on Wednesday night to allow for a better look at the incident.
The blaze is under the jurisdiction of the Wet Mountain Fire Protection District.
Four aircraft from the state's Division of Fire Prevention and Control are assisting. However, the sheriff's office said, "There has been a tremendous response from fire agencies as far as Salida and Fremont County and… including Custer Road and Bridge water tenders."
The Buttermilk or Pines Ranch fire came as agencies were addressing two other incidents in Southern Colorado.
One near Penrose prompted the closure of northbound Highway 115 due to smoke.
A larger fire located within the Fort Carson training area is approximately sixteen hundred acres. Officials said it was 60 percent contained as of last night.
