Red Cross Disaster Action Team in Elbert County is supporting an evacuation center at the Elbert County Fairgrounds, located at 95 Ute Ave, Kiowa, CO 80117, as firefighters continue to work on containing the Forest Ridge Fire south of the town of Kiowa. The overnight sheltering team is on standby if needed, though currently there are only four citizens at the evacuation center.
We encourage those in the community who have lost property, due to the Forest Ridge Fire, to reach out to the American Red Cross for assistance with immediate needs. Caseworkers are on standby to assist as needed. For immediate assistance, please call 1-800-REDCROSS and select option 2.
Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke
Affected Area: central parts of Elbert County. Cities include, but are not limited to Kiowa.
Advisory in Effect: 12:00 PM MST, Sunday, March 4, 2018 to 4:00 PM MST, Sunday, March 4, 2018.
Public Health Recommendations: If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood you may want to remain indoors. This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and the elderly. Consider limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present. Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill. If visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy.
Outlook: A large grass fire near Kiowa will produce periods of moderate to heavy smoke Sunday afternoon. Smoke from the fire will generally travel from southwest to northeast, but could be erratic in direction at times.
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