Arson Arrest Made as Massive CO Blaze Rages

July 01 -- The Costilla County Sheriff’s Office announced Saturday afternoon that an arrest was made in relation to the Spring Fire, which at last estimation had burned over 41,000 acres in Costilla and Huerfano counties by Saturday evening.

The suspect was identified as 52-year-old Jesper Jorgensen, who reportedly was being held on arson charges.

Authorities are continuing to battle the massive wildland fire that originated Wednesday afternoon about 5 miles east of Fort Garland and has exponentially grown each day.

The fire exploded from about 4,000 acres Thursday evening to over 24,000 acres Friday morning and continued to expand Saturday, having burned 41,292 acres as of last estimation.

The blaze has been fueled by high temperatures and fast-moving wind and has prompted thousands of evacuations throughout the region.

Numerous structures throughout the area have been consumed by the blaze, though the exact number and nature of those structures is currently unclear and will remain so until the Costilla County Sheriff’s Office is able to identify the structures and inform their owners in the coming days.

As of Saturday evening, the fire still was zero percent contained with 275 firefighters from multiple agencies responding.

Mandatory evacuations remained in place Saturday for large portions of Costilla and Huerfano counties, including Forbes Park and Wagon Creek Estates in Costilla County and Tres Valles, Paradise Acres, Raspberry Mountain, Pine Haven, and the Cuchara Valley in Huerfano County. Further mandatory evacuations were later put in place Saturday afternoon for Navajo Ranch, Majors Ranch and residences along County Road 530 and south to U.S. 160.

Around 10 p.m. Saturday, pre-evacuation notices were added for Red Wing, Chama, Malachite, Gardner and the Badito area.

U.S. 160 remained closed in both directions throughout the day and Colorado 12 in the Cuchara Valley also was closed.

Two evacuation centers were accepting evacuees overnight, the first at the Huerfano Community Center and the second at the Blanca Fort Garland Community Center.

Evacuation centers for animals also were set up at the Las Animas County Fairgrounds and the 4-H barn in La Veta.

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