Schwachheim Fire grows to 882 acres, no containment in Las Animas County
882 acres and no containment kept the Schwachheim Fire a live threat southeast of Trinidad, with critical fire weather, smoke and evacuation readiness all in play.
The Schwachheim Fire had burned 882 acres in Las Animas County with no containment, and critical fire weather was expected to continue, leaving residents southeast of Trinidad on evacuation readiness. The fire started near Lake Dorothey State Wildlife Area, close to the New Mexico border, and the area remained closed as crews worked steep terrain. Any shift in wind, heat, or humidity could have pushed smoke and flames toward nearby rural properties and county roads in a matter of hours.
The fire's growth showed how quickly conditions had turned. It was first reported on April 12, 2026, then jumped from about 150 acres overnight to roughly 450 acres within a day. By April 14 it was listed at 646 acres, and by April 15 it had reached 1,000 acres, all under the command of Phil Daniels with the Colorado Incident Management Team. A Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control post showed aerial suppression support in use, including a Type 2 helicopter with a Bambi bucket.
Stage 2 fire restrictions were in effect across Las Animas County and surrounding areas, a measure aimed at cutting off new ignitions while crews focused on the wildfire already burning near Trinidad. Gov. Jared Polis also declared a disaster emergency early in the response, underscoring the scale of the incident. For people living, ranching, or traveling near the county's southern edge, the practical concern was immediate: keep vehicles fueled, be ready to move if officials issued an evacuation notice, and expect smoky air to change quickly if the wind shifted.
Verified updates were coming from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control, the Colorado Incident Management Team, the Las Animas County Sheriff's Department, and local radio coverage from KRTN Enchanted Air Radio. Those notices were the ones to watch as crews prepared for a prolonged suppression effort around Lake Dorothey and the Trinidad corridor.
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