Firefighters are battling two lightning-sparked wildfires in Northwest Colorado that have scorched about 1,500 acres of federal land near Craig, authorities say.
The Wolf fire, about five miles south of Elk Springs in Moffat County, was triggered by a lightning strike just after noon Friday, and has already grown to about 1,200 acres, said Lynn Barclay, spokeswoman for the wildfire.
The wildfire grew 500 acres overnight as heavy winds spread the fire quickly through the drought-stricken area, she said.
The fire, burning on Bureau of Land Management property, is not currently threatening any homes or outbuildings, but it is located about three miles from oil and gas facilities, Barclay said. Winds reaching 35 mph were blowing the blaze away from “well pads,” she said.
The Divide fire was reported at 1:28 p.m. Friday and is located about five miles south of the Wolf fire. It, too, was ignited by lightning.
The fires have destroyed valuable vegetation on drought-stricken grazing land covered with sagebrush and pinion and juniper trees, Barclay said.
“It’s not always about homes. The grazing area is what the ranchers depend on for their livelihood,” she said. “Everything is already drought stressed.”
Sixty-eight hot shot and type-two crew members with three engines are fighting the Wolf fire Saturday and eight smokejumpers are at the Divide fire, Barclay said.
A helicopter is dropping water on the Wolf fire, she said.
A type-3 incident management team took over responsibility to manage the Wolf fire Saturday morning. There is no containment on either fire and there have been no evacuations, Barclay said.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for northeast Utah and northwest Colorado through 9 p.m. this evening. Dry fuels, low humidity and gusty winds have prompted the warning.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206, or
