Colorado Springs cemeteries close after high winds

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The high winds Colorado experienced Monday did not only disturb the living, but also the space of the dead.

Such was the case in Colorado Springs, where a couple of cemeteries had to close their doors to the public for an indefinite amount of time as winds with gusts up to 101 mph blew through the area.

Evergreen Cemetery is closed until further notice after approximately 30 trees fell and several headstones were damaged due to the high winds, according to cemetery supervisor Jody Sanchez-Skamarak.

Services had to be canceled for Monday and were rescheduled Tuesday, and while the gates are still closed, Sanchez-Skamarak said the cemetery is still in service.

Visitors wanting to visit their loved ones will have to wait until cemetery officials assess the damage caused by the blowing wind.

Fairview Cemetery is also closed due to “significant tree damage and debris,” according to City of Colorado Springs spokeswoman Jamie Fabos.

Two trees reportedly fell at the cemetery, Fabos told Denver7.

Fairview is expected to reopen on Thursday, according to Karen Palus, director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services at the City of Colorado Springs.

A third cemetery, Dignity Memorial Gardens, did not sustain damage from the high winds and is operating on a normal schedule.