4 dead in 30-vehicle pileup in Colorado as powerful winds slam Plains, raising extreme fire risk
- - 4 dead in 30-vehicle pileup in Colorado as powerful winds slam Plains, raising extreme fire risk
Meteorologist Chris Dolce, CNNFebruary 18, 2026 at 3:35 AM
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This photo provided by Colorado State Patrol shows a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 25 near Pueblo, Colorado, on Tuesday. - Colorado State Patrol/AP
At least 4 people are dead in a multi-vehicle pileup in Colorado and multiple fires are breaking out across the Plains as powerful winds wreak havoc across the region.
The pileup on Interstate 25 south of Pueblo, Colorado, involved over 30 vehicles as winds gusted up to 61 mph, blowing dust and dirt around, reducing visibility and causing “brown out” conditions.
At least 29 people were taken to the hospital with injuries, according to the Colorado State Patrol, which did not provide any additional information on the severity of those injuries.
A three-mile stretch of the interstate remains shut down between mile markers 91 and 94 and there is no estimated reopening time, the Colorado Department of Transportation said.
The strongest winds are expected Tuesday afternoon in the darkest red shadings over the High Plains. - CNN Weather
The same powerful winds are causing fire weather conditions go downhill fast in a “particularly dangerous situation” fire threat that’s gripping the region.
More than 750,000 people in parts of five states across the Plains are facing Level 3 of 3 extremely critical fire weather conditions – damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph, extremely dry air and ample dead, dry vegetation – Tuesday.
“This is a Particularly Dangerous Situation,” the National Weather Service said in a red flag warning. “If fires start, they will spread rapidly and will be extremely difficult to control.”
Wind gusts are cranking up across a widespread area in the Plains and will only increase through the afternoon. Burlington, Colorado, clocked a gust of 71 mph and gusts over 60 mph have been observed in western Kansas and the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles.
Past wildfires sparked in similar conditions have been devastating: 2024’s Smokehouse Creek Fire in the Texas Panhandle, the state’s largest wildfire, burned through more than 500 structures.
The first fire warnings were issued late morning and early afternoon in the Oklahoma Panhandle for fires spreading rapidly to the northeast in strong winds.
The fire weather concerns will peak this afternoon as winds reach their peak and humidity levels bottom out to their lowest level between 10 to 15%. Conditions will remain dangerous into the early evening hours before easing up overnight.
Tuesday’s strong winds in the Plains are also generating more than just dangerous fire conditions.
High-profile vehicles like semi-trucks could be blown over and any dust lofted into the air could cause poor visibility for drivers. Scattered power outages are also possible.
Another storm could kick up winds and increase fire danger to critical conditions, the second-highest level, tomorrow afternoon in the southern High Plains, from eastern New Mexico and West Texas into the Oklahoma Panhandle, southwest Kansas and southeast Colorado.
CNN’s Eric Zerkel contributed to this report.
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