U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- As of 9 a.m., Feb. 26, 2024, the West Monument Creek Fire has burned 168 acres and is 20 percent contained. U.S. Air Force Academy and Colorado Springs fire departments worked through the night to fight the fire. The Fort Carson Directorate of Emergency Services Fire Department is supporting the response with two brush trucks, one UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter with bucket and two CH-47 Chinooks. The helicopters will assist with water drops as weather allows.
No evacuation orders have been given to Academy residents, but residents in Douglass Valley and Pine Valley housing are under a pre-evacuation notice. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the area, and winds are expected to increase today, so residents should monitor local media and official Academy social media sources for updates.
The Academy’s Emergency Family Assistance Center (EFAC) has been established to provide support to our family members, military and government civilians seeking assistance. The EFAC can be reached at 719-333-3444, or 10fss.fsh.afrc@us.af.mil. The center is available to provide information and referral for military families affected by the fire. Families who have evacuated on their own need to update their family info in the Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System (AFPAAS). For mental health support individuals can call the Military Family Life Counselors (MFLCs) at 719-360-2870 or 719-895-0170.
For Feb. 26, the U.S. Air Force Academy is open to DoD ID cardholders, and contractors. U.S. Air Force Academy operations continue as scheduled. All patient appointments at the main Medical Treatment Facility are cancelled and staff will work to reschedule appointments. The Child Development Centers and Visitor Center are also closed.
The installation remains closed to the general public.
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For more information, please contact U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications at (719) 333-7731 or email media.rel@afacademy.af.edu