A 20 acre wildfire in the western part of Colorado Springs that grew quickly in windy conditions is now under control. The fire blackened a hillside near the popular tourist attraction Garden of the Gods and came close to several homes.

Emergency officials in Colorado Springs were responding to a new wildfire in the western part of the Colorado city.

Two fires in the Colorado Springs area Thursday afternoon have prompted road closures. A fire near the airport has also prompted evacuations.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service have called Friday their “day of biggest concern” this week for dangerous fire weather conditions across a broad slice of the southern Great Plains and a portion of the Southwest and even into the Midwest.

Climate researchers said the ingredients are in place for a wildfire threat North Texas hasn't seen in at least 10 years. One Fort Worth neighborhood remembers the threat of fire well. It had to be evacuated during the 2023 fire.

An elevated fire threat remains in place for Thursday, with that breeze and with very low relative humidity. That elevated fire threat turns critical on Friday as a low-pressure system moves through the Central Plains,