March 20--The ongoing tire fire in the Midway Ranches area has prompted El Paso County officials to cancel Tuesday classes at a nearby elementary school and warn residents of possible health effects from the smoke.
Residents within a half-mile of the tire fire near the 20800 block of Prairie Fire Point should "consider leaving the area if they begin to experience health impacts such as nose or throat irritation or if they have underlying cardiovascular conditions that may be aggravated by smoke," a county news release says.
Classes are canceled Tuesday at Prairie Heights Elementary School, 7930 Indian Village Heights, "to allow thorough inspection of the building for possible smoke impacts," the county release says.
The 3,300-acre Carson Midway fire is mostly extinguished, although some tire and trash piles continue to burn and smoke near Prairie Fire Point, the Sheriff's Office reported Monday.
Homes near the 20800 block of Prairie Fire Point will remain evacuated until officials deem the area safe, and personnel from the Hanover Fire Department will continue to patrol the area "to monitor the tires and trash piles until they completely burn out," the Sheriff's Office said in a news release.
"A wall constructed from hundreds of old tires, rocks and dirt continues to burn," the county release says. "Each old tire typically contains the equivalent of three to four quarts of motor oil and these are typically among the most difficult fires to extinguish. County officials are consulting with experts from the Environmental Protection Agency to minimize environmental impacts as they work to extinguish the smoldering tires."
A non-emergency number has been set up for residents affected by the fire, another El Paso County tweet says. Call 575-8888 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. for information on how to file claims for injury, personal loss or property destruction; help with debris cleanup, health information and other resources.
For information from El Paso County Public Health about safely returning home after a wildfire, visit elpasocountyhealth.org/services/public-health-wildfire-information.
Contact Ellie Mulder: 636-0198 Twitter: @lemarie
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