Emergency crews responded to two lightning-sparked fires in Kiowa County Sunday night.

Fifty area fire fighters and nearly 40 pieces of equipment were used to contain the blazes, which occurred near the intersection of County Roads 49 and R, and along County Road 54.

Nearly 2,000 acres burned between the two fires, which were contained and in mop-up by 3:00 a.m. Monday morning.

Temporary evacuations were requested for several homes in the area, however no structures were damaged or injuries to residents were report.

The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control sent one of its Multi-Mission Aircraft (MMA) from Centennial Monday to fly over the area to look for hot spots. The aircraft are outfitted with Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR), high-resolution cameras and other equipment to help spot and assess fires. The aircraft are also used for search and rescue missions.

The next several days will be hot across the region, with afternoon temperatures approaching 100. There are chances of isolated showers and thunderstorms into the weekend.

Fire weather alerts are not currently in place, however recent temperatures and conditions raise concerns about fire. Caution is urged with outdoor burning.

Photo: infrared image of the burn scar near the intersection of Kiowa County Roads 46 and R. DFPC photo.