HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — One person is in custody after two small fires were reported in grassy areas next to a roadway in Highlands Ranch Thursday morning, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
The fires were reported around 7:20 a.m. in the area of South Broadway just north of Highlands Ranch Parkway, the sheriff's office said. Both fires were small in the grassy areas between the sidewalk and homes.
South Metro Fire Rescue responded and got both fires under control and out pretty quickly.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said that deputies contacted a person walking away from the area as they responded. In an update, they said they had taken one person into custody who is believed to have started the fires.
Temperatures Thursday are expected to reach into the mid-70s for the warmest day of the year so far. It will be warm again on Friday with stronger winds which will increase the fire danger.
Strong winds are also expected which has prompted fire weather watches and some Red Flag warnings for Friday. Areas just to the south of Denver and the eastern plains are under a Fire Weather Watch with wind between 20 and 30 mph expected with gusts up to 45 mph.
A Red Flag warning is in effect for southeast Colorado where wind gusts could reach up to 50 mph and humidity levels will be around 10%.
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