Crews fight to keep fire away from Air Force Academy

By The Associated Press
Tuesday, June 26, 2012

DENVER – Firefighters are battling to keep a wildfire from burning toward the Air Force Academy and residential areas north of Colorado Springs.

Academy officials say the Waldo Canyon fire was 10 to 15 miles from the campus Monday but they weren’t sure if it had moved closer.

Fire managers said Tuesday the fire has blackened 8 square miles west of Colorado Springs. A shed was destroyed but no homes have been damaged.

About 5,000 people remain evacuated.

The fire is 5 percent contained. It started Saturday. The cause was under investigation.

Two specially equipped Air Force C-130 planes helped fight the fire Monday. A third is expected Tuesday.

A grass fire in eastern Colorado grew from a few acres to 60 square miles on Monday and damaged at least two homes.