Editor’s note: This story has been updated.
Officials on Fort Carson, Colorado, on Sunday evacuated several areas and closed a gate because of a fire on post.
The fire was located near Gate 5 and the Navajo Village housing area, Fort Carson officials said in a statement Sunday afternoon.
Fort Carson fire and emergency personnel, working with several local agencies, were continuing to battle the fire.
By about 9 p.m. Eastern time, all affected personnel were cleared to return to their homes and barracks, Fort Carson officials said in a press release.
Earlier in the day, as a precaution, personnel from the Navajo Village Housing area, the Warrior Transition Battalion and the 10th Special Forces Group complex were evacuated, officials said.
In addition, Gate 5 was closed due to concerns of smoke inhalation, officials said. No structures or personnel are being threatened by the flames.
After residents were evacuated, Fort Carson Fire and Emergency personnel performed clearing procedures in all affected South Navajo Village housing area units, officials said. This included checking attic access in all units to confirm no embers were burning.
Fire personnel will continue to patrol the area throughout the night, officials said, and residents are advised to keep air conditioning units turned off to limit smoke exposure to their families and pets.
The Fort Carson Special Events Center, which was set up for evacuees, will remain available until everyone can safely return to their homes.
Fort Carson’s Gate 5 has been reopened, Evans Army Community Hospital has resumed normal operations, and there are no road closures, officials said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Michelle Tan is the editor of Army Times and Air Force Times. She has covered the military for Military Times since 2005, and has embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Haiti, Gabon and the Horn of Africa.
