The north and southbound lanes of S. Tejon Street have reopened after a fast moving wildfire sends plumes of smoke into the air just east of I-25, across from Motor City.

Sirens, firefighters and flames all came together for a dangerous Thursday afternoon spectacle only blocks away from downtown Colorado Springs. The fire happened around 5:00 p.m. and consumed over 3 acres of dry land along the interstate.

"The closer we got to it, the more black smoke we saw," said Angela Washington.

From her car, parked near Tejon Street on a north-bound I-25 on-ramp, Washington watched the fight blow-for-blow.

"You don't see many grassfires like this with a lot of flames going still," she said.

"Had the smoke been blowing the other direction across the interstate, we could have had a whole other story here," said Lt. Julie Stone from the Colorado Springs Fire Department.

As it burned, crews battled to keep the fire from the highway and businesses nearby.

"We had enough staff and resources here to keep ahead of it," Stone said.

Stone said a change of wind could have made a bigger mess of things among the tinder box of dry brush and other fuels.

"Obviously the winds have been kicking up, which makes this prime conditions for these types of fires," she said.

The flames gave way to blackened hot spots which fire crews watched closely. Colorado Springs Fire officials staff heavy in anticipation of a fight like Thursday's. It's a bit of relief for residents who expect this won't be the last fire they'll see.

"Makes me know if something happened they'd be fast to respond," Washington said.

Officials report the area where it started is a hangout for transients who make camp fires on occasion. Stone said investigators don't suspect a campfire started Thursday's fire.

There were no reported injuries.

Authorities say, no structures were in danger during the blaze.

There is no official word on what sparked the blaze at this time.