A fire burning in southern Colorado had torched nearly 9,000 acres as of mid-day today and was expected to grow this afternoon as hot, dry temperatures up and down the Front Range keep fire crews in Colorado and Wyoming scrambling.
U.S. 160 remains closed between Fort Garland and La Veta Pass as crews work to keep the Mato Vega fire, which has burned an estimated 8,960 acres, from crossing south of the highway.
“We haven’t had any homes burned, but there is concern about the threat it poses to the Paradise Acres subdivision,” said Karl Brauneis, with the Rocky Mountain Incident Command Team. More than 200 homes in Costilla and Huerfano counties remain evacuated, he said.
Meanwhile, a heavy air assault was launched this morning on a 50-acre fire in Teller County. About 60 firefighters are at the scene of the Wrights Fire, burning about six miles northwest of Cripple Creek. Three homes were threatened and evacuated.
That fire, believed to have started Monday, was 30 percent contained this afternoon, a sheriff’s spokeswoman said.
One heavy air tanker and an aerial task force that consists of three single-engine air tankers were on scene, said Larry Helmerick, spokesman for the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center.
“We’re throwing a lot of air power at it, and are watching it closely,” he said.
Just north of the Colorado border in Wyoming’s Medicine Bow National Forest, the 500-acre Isabelle fire, which is zero percent contained, has forced the evacuation of the Lake Owen Campground and several homes.
Helmerick said crew who responded Monday were limited by extreme fire behavior and poor access, and conditions don’t look much better today.
The Copper Creek fire in Grand County, which burned 10 acres Monday, was largely knocked down, Helmerick said.
In Larimer County, a single-engine air tanker, a helicopter and about 35 fire crews had the 50-acre Halligan Reservoir fire burning near Virginia Dale 100 percent contained this morning, and expected to have it under control today.
