The 90-acre Paradise fire in Roosevelt National Forest has been 50 percent contained by firefighters from multiple agencies, the U.S. Forest Service announced late Tuesday afternoon.
Reghan Cloudman, spokeswoman for the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest, said that unexpectedly cooler, overcast weather has helped about 100 firefighters on the scene.
The blaze did not spread much Tuesday, she said. Firefighters were aided throughout the day by a large water-dropping helicopter.
The fire is 15 miles west of Fort Collins on Buckhorn Road in an area of very dry grasses.
Cloudman said that because trees in the area are not heavily concentrated, no dramatic crowning has occurred.
No evacuations were ordered.
Investigators have determined that the fire was caused by bullet fragments.
If anyone has information about any shooting activity in this area, authorities ask that they call U.S. Forest Service Special Agent Kim Jones at 970-498-2709.
Firefighters from the Forest Service, National Park Service, Larimer County Emergency Services, the Colorado State Forest Service, the Poudre Fire Authority and the Rist Canyon Fire Department were battling the blaze.
Although Colorado’s wildfire season traditionally lasts from May through September, much of northern Colorado is under a “high” fire-risk danger on the Forest Service’s national danger assessment.
And some of the mountains along the northern Front Range, including the Roosevelt National Forest, have a “very high” fire risk, according to the Forest Service map.
So far this year, Colorado’s wildland fires have been slightly above average for acres burned over the past 10 years, according to the state forester’s office.
A storm moving into the area is expected to bring snow where the fire is burning tonight and all day Thursday and Friday.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
