The Great Sand Dunes National Park has reopened after a lightning strike ignited a wildfire in the grasslands along its main entrance road on Wednesday. The fire temporarily shut down inbound traffic and closed the visitor center for several hours.
As of 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday, the 306-acre Medano Fire was 80 percent contained, according to a statement from the park. Crews worked through the night to suppress the fire’s growth. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not appear to reach the park’s main campground or famous dunes.
The incident was the latest close call during an already active fire week across Southern Colorado. The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning about dangerous fire conditions, which will last through Thursday afternoon due to dry and hot weather.