Northern Colorado wildfire sparked by downed power lines, investigators say

Investigators say power lines knocked down due to powerful winds sparked a wildfire in Northern Colorado on Thursday.

Investigators with the Poudre Fire Authority say the Sterry Fire, which burned an acre north of Fort Collins, began when a tree fell behind Wray Plumbing & Heating. The tree fell through overhead power lines, crashed through a fence and then landed in dead, dry grass, bringing the power lines down with it and sparking the fire.

Approximately 30 minutes later, 911 began receiving calls reporting the wildfire.

PFA said firefighters worked quickly to contain the wildfire, which was fueled by nearly 90-mile-per-hour winds and dry conditions. They said the flames grew to 40 to 50 feet high and spread aggressively through the heavy brush and timber towards a nearby neighborhood. The NoCo Alert system issued mandatory evacuation warnings to 2,401 people in the area.

Firefighters gained control of the fire before it reached the neighborhood, and the evacuation order was lifted.

"They made one heck of a stop; the crews worked hard. I'm very proud of them," said PFA Incident Commander Chris Hill.

No one was injured in the fire, and all of the structures in the area were saved.