Grass fire near Highway 113 forces Padroni evacuations amid high winds

A large grass fire burning near Highway 113 at mile post 12 and Logan County Road 66 has forced evacuations in Padroni and nearby residences as high winds push the blaze toward rural homes. Sterling Fire and regional crews are on scene managing lines of fire and protecting structures while conditions remain volatile.

Sterling Fire units arrived within minutes and joined mutual-aid crews from neighboring districts to establish water and containment points along Logan County Road 66. High winds have complicated firefighting tactics, spreading burning grass across the corridor adjacent to Highway 113 and creating spot fires downwind of the main perimeter.

Evacuations were triggered for Padroni and surrounding residences after the fire crossed open ground toward inhabited parcels. County emergency managers moved to clear homes in the immediate path near mile post 12; residents in the evacuation zone were instructed to leave their properties while crews worked to create defensible space around residences.

The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is monitoring the incident and coordinating with local responders. Incident command officials have prioritized structure protection on the east and west flanks of the fire and are staging additional equipment along Highway 113 to protect access for response teams.

As crews continue suppression and containment efforts along Highway 113 and Logan County Road 66, Sterling Fire and the regional departments will maintain a defensive push to hold the fire away from Padroni residences. The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will provide updates as the situation develops and as conditions allow crews to transition from defensive operations to mop-up.