A small 150-acre fire near Rifle and a Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service for Sunday both signal that the fire season is upon Colorado.
About 50 firefighters were working the lightning-caused Water Creek fire about 10 miles northwest of Rifle in a remote area atop the Roan Plateau. No structures were being threatened.
The fire was reported this morning and burned actively throughout the day because of strong winds and dry conditions. Fire officials expect the fire will continue to be active and grow over the next few days. It is burning in heavy timber.
Firefighters are allowing some acres to burn, while suppressing it at roads and strategic natural barriers.
A number of aircraft worked the fire today, including a light helicopter, a heavy helicopter, a single engine air tanker, a heavy air tanker and two support airplanes. Four engines are on-scene, and additional crews have been ordered.
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for western Colorado on Sunday, which indicates the risk of fire spread is high.
Because of the high fire potential throughout the Upper Colorado River area, fire officials with the Upper Colorado River Fire Management Unit are urging the public to be extremely careful with fire.
The Water Creek Fire is actively burning at about 9,000-feet elevation, clearly indicating that fire danger is not limited to low elevations.
In particular, fire officials are asking that people ensure all campfires are completely extinguished before leaving camp.
