Honestly, if you live in Colorado Springs, you know the drill. You wake up, look at the Front Range, and check the wind. Today, January 13, 2026, isn't much different from the high-stress days we've seen lately. While there isn't a massive "Waldo Canyon-style" plume darkening the sky right this second, the Colorado Springs fire today situation is all about those small, nasty grass fires that keep popping up.
It's bone dry. Basically, we are sitting in a giant tinderbox.
Just a few days ago, the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) was running ragged. On a single Sunday, they had to tackle three separate fires. One was a grass fire near Pulpit Rock Park that got way too close to homes on Stanton Road. Then you had ten—yes, ten—different grass fires along I-25. CSFD Captain J.J. Halsey put it bluntly: one spark is all it takes right now.
The Red Flag Warning Reality
The National Weather Service isn't playing around. We've seen Red Flag Warnings fluttering in and out for El Paso County and the southeast plains. When that humidity drops into the single digits and the gusts start hitting 40+ mph, the "fire season" label doesn't really matter.
We’re in a winter drought.
Even though it’s January, the grass is "cured." That’s a fancy way of saying it’s dead, brown, and ready to go up like a matchstick. If you’re driving down I-25 today, you'll probably see the charred remains of those roadside starts. It’s a miracle they didn’t jump into the neighborhoods.
What's actually allowed right now?
Currently, the city of Colorado Springs isn't under a full-blown "Burn Ban," but don't let that fool you. There are still permanent rules in place that people seem to forget every single year.
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- Open burning? Nope. Never allowed for residents in city limits.
- Trash? Absolutely not. Don't even think about it.
- Portable pits? Usually okay, but you need that 15-foot clearance from your fence or any bushes.
- The "Spark Arrestor": If you're burning wood in a backyard fireplace, you must have a screen. If a coal pops out and hits that dry January grass, your backyard is gone in minutes.
Honestly, with the way the wind is whipping today, it’s probably better to just keep the lid on the fire pit.
Why Colorado Springs Utilities is testifying in D.C.
Something most people missed in the local news loop is that our own Travas Deal, the CEO of Colorado Springs Utilities, was just out in Washington D.C. testifying before a House subcommittee. Why does a water and power guy care about federal wildfire policy?
Because of the water.
When a fire like the one today—or any large-scale wildfire—hits our watersheds, it ruins everything. It's not just the flames; it's the ash and the "debris flows" that happen months later. Deal is pushing for the Fix Our Forests Act because we need to clear out the hazard trees near power lines before they fall and start the next big one.
He’s also worried about "strict liability." Basically, if a utility line starts a fire, the utility is on the hook for everything, even if they did all their maintenance. That’s a cost that eventually hits our monthly bills.
The New "Whole Blood" Defense
If you see a CSFD truck or a Red, White & Blue Fire rig today, they might be carrying something new. Colorado Springs was actually the first in the state to start carrying whole blood on fire engines and ambulances.
In the past, they’d use saline or wait for the hospital. Now, if someone gets caught in a structure fire or a bad wreck, they can get a transfusion right there on the sidewalk. It’s a huge shift in how we handle trauma in the field, and it’s already saving lives in El Paso County.
Is your "Defensible Space" actually ready?
Look, we all say we’re going to clear the pine needles out of the gutters. Then winter hits, it’s 20 degrees, and we stay inside. But the fire risk today in the Springs is mostly at the "Wildland-Urban Interface." That’s just a fancy term for where your house meets the scrub oak.
If you have a pile of firewood leaning against your siding, move it. Seriously. Do it today. Embers from a grass fire can travel blocks and land right in that woodpile.
Actionable steps for today:
- Check the El Paso County Sheriff’s site: Things change hourly. If a Red Flag Warning is active, put away the charcoal grill.
- Sign up for Peak Alerts: If you haven't done this yet, you're flying blind. It's the only way you’ll get the "Go Now" order on your phone if a fire starts near your block.
- The 5-foot rule: Walk around your house. If there is anything flammable (mulch, dry leaves, dead plants) within five feet of your foundation, get rid of it.
- Watch your cigarette butts: It sounds like a lecture from the 90s, but half those I-25 fires are started by people flicking lit embers out the window into the median grass.
The Colorado Springs fire situation isn't just about the big forest fires anymore. It's about these fast-moving, wind-driven grass fires that happen right in our backyards when the weather feels like it should be snowing instead of burning. Stay vigilant, watch the wind, and keep your "go bag" by the door if you live on the west side or near the open spaces.