Officials: Vehicle malfunction likely sparked 24 Fire near Highway 115

• Such a blaze — during what is historically the wettest time of the year —underscores how fire-prone conditions are, thanks to recent unseasonably warm, dry weather.

Driving the news: The Fremont County Sheriff's Office and Fort Carson fire officials held a community town hall about the fire Tuesday evening at the Penrose Elementary School.

• There, some residents voiced frustration with inconsistent communication and delayed updates in emergency alerts.

Catch up quick: Firefighters have been working in rugged and sparsely populated terrain since the blaze was spotted.

• About 240 firefighters, including Colorado Springs crews and hotshot teams from six states, are helping, per Fort Carson.
• Crews briefly contained the 64-acre fire the first day it sparked and were able to reopen Highway 115.

Yes, but: The fire jumped the containment a day later, burning thousands of acres last weekend, forcing the highway to close and triggering mandatory evacuations near Penrose.

Between the lines: A separate fire on Fort Carson land scorched 1,600 acres last week.

What we're watching: Forecasters and the Old Farmer's Almanac predict a hot and dry spring.

The intrigue: Fort Carson Fire's Peter Wolf said there had been fire mitigation work in the area in recent months, resulting in piles of dead wood brought to the edge of Highway 115.

• "We needed to do pile burns in the winter. But we never got winter," Wolf said.

As of Wednesday, acreage held steady while crews gradually increased containment, officials said.

• Fort Carson will evaluate Highway 115 daily for possible reopening.