Officials lifted evacuation orders for the Hammer fire near Hanover as it continued to burn without harming structures or people on Thursday.

Firefighting crews across the region continued to battle several fires in Colorado Springs and Teller County with low humidity and strong wind gusts.

A red flag warning was issued by the National Weather Service in Pueblo for much of southeast Colorado on Thursday and Friday as critical fire conditions are expected to continue.

El Paso, Pueblo and Teller counties as well as other parts of the region were under fire restrictions Thursday that are expected to last through the end of Friday’s red flag warning.

Hammer fire

The Hammer fire has grown to 4,969 acres with 80% containment on Thursday after it began southeast of Fountain near Hanover on Wednesday, making it the largest active wildfire in Colorado, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Evacuation and pre-evacuation orders were lifted on Thursday afternoon after remaining in place overnight for many Hanover-area residents as the fire spread over 800 acres while it was in effect.

Broadmoor Bluffs brush fires

Fire and police department personnel responded to three brush fires late Thursday night in the Broadmoor Bluffs neighborhood on the city’s southwest side, according to an online blotter entry from police.

Shortly before midnight, crews were sent to the area of Broadmoor Bluffs Drive and Farthing Drive for the fires. One was located in a field near Overture Court. Two others were in a field near Farthing Drive and Cardiff Circle.

The fires were quickly put out. No cause has been released.

Colorado Springs apartment fire

A two-alarm fire broke out early Thursday morning on the second floor of an apartment building in the 4300 block of Hunting Meadows Circle, CSFD posted on social media.

White smoke and flames could be seen rising from the building as crews battled the fire. Some of the second alarm units were released about an hour after it began, according to CSFD.

No people were injured in the fire, but a cat that was rescued from the flames did not survive after lifesaving measures were performed.

Several nearby workers from Gordon Construction helped residents evacuate before firefighters arrived, according to CSFD.

An investigation into the cause of the fire remains ongoing.

Teller County fire

Sheriff’s deputies rerouted traffic around a fire near the intersection of Lower Twin Rocks Road and Teller County Road 1 around 1:15 p.m. Thursday.

The fire was quickly under control and the Twin Rocks Road roadblocks were removed about 45 minutes after the fire was first reported by the Teller County Sheriff’s Office.

The Florissant Fire Rescue dispatched seven fire engines and two water tenders to combat the grass fire due to the “location and current fire conditions,” according to the organization. The U.S. Forest Service, Ute Pass Regional Ambulance District and support from Lake George assisted with the response.

The fire was reportedly contained at 0.25 acres, according to the federal government’s dispatch center WildCAD.

Nebraska deployment

Three members of the Cimarron Hills Fire Department will deploy Engine 1341 to the Andrew’s fire at the Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest in northern Nebraska.

The wildland fire was discovered on Wednesday evening and has spread to 2,500 acres with 0% containment, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.