Several new wildfires began to burn Saturday across Colorado, joining a number of fires that were already burning headed into the weekend. Fire crews diligently worked to contain the growth of several large fires in northern Colorado, but erratic winds played havoc with the largest wildfire in the extreme northwest corner of the state.
Here’s a breakdown of the wildfire activity in Colorado Saturday evening:
Peekaboo Fire
Passing thunderstorms brought strong winds late Friday, spreading the fire in the state’s northwest corner in numerous directions. According to a federal interagency wildfire website, the acreage of the fire jumped from 11,700 to 12,675 Saturday — with 5 percent containment.
Crews focused on the southeast corner of the fire, which is approximately 75 miles west of Craig. Firefighters and air resources focused on structure protection and keeping the fire north of Colorado Highway 318.
Officials reported the effort to protect resources and a nearby wildlife habitat present unique challenges. A lack of operational resources, combined with difficult access to all areas of the fire are also hindering progress.
Firefighters and air crews on Saturday worked to build containment lines where feasible. The Colorado Army National Guard said it would send two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters equipped with water buckets to the fire. Each of the buckets is able to dump 500 gallons of water, or fire retardant, at a time.
Two CH-47 Chinook helicopters will be on standby at Buckley Air Force Base to help fight any of the fires burning across Colorado.
Moffat County Road 10N was closed for hours but reopened late Saturday morning. A temporary flight restriction was in place around the fire to allow air operations to proceed safely.
Wilson Fire
A new wildfire was discovered Saturday morning in Rio Blanco County, 8 miles north of Meeker along County Road 9, according to a wildfire tracking website. The fire had grown to 204 acres by Saturday evening and was threatening oil and gas operations along with unspecified structures. There were six air tankers attacking the blaze.
The Rio Blanco Sheriff’s Office reported that it is on the scene of the fire, along with Meeker Fire and Rescue, and that the fire is burning along Wilson Creek. It is asking people not to call 911 if they see smoke from the fire — updates will be made on social media.
Fire officials said the fire could grow another 200 acres on the southern and eastern flanks of the burn.
After the Wilson Fire started Saturday morning, another fire in Rio Blanco County was reported in the afternoon. The Bureau of Land Management tweeted that the Deer Gulch fire was burning 21 miles southwest of Meeker. There was no acreage attached to the size of that blaze.
Peak 2 Fire
Firefighters made progress fighting the Peak 2 Fire on Saturday, increasing containment of the 84-acre blaze from 25 percent to 52 percent. Favorable weather conditions helped firefighters build containment lines on the northwest and southeast flanks of the fire on Friday.
Quick response from three engines and a helicopter assigned to the Rocky Mountain Type 1 Incident Management Team kept a new fire southeast of Breckenridge to a fourth of an acre.
Although Peak 7 residents were allowed home Friday night, areas west of State Highway 9 from Cucumber Gulch and Valley Brook north to the Iron Springs construction site remained on a pre-evacuation notice. Peaks Trail, Gold Hill, Wheeler, Miners Creek trails remain closed. Parts of the Colorado Trail are closed where overlap occurs with trail closures in the area. .
Jack Queen, Summit Daily News
Flames rise above the trees as a wildfire burns near Breckenridge, Colo., on Wednesday, July 5, 2017. The fire was reported midday Wednesday and is burning in the White River National Forest.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Amy Noraka, holding daughter Sage, 3, left, and her husband Chris Noraka, with son Tyler, 6, watch as helicopters dump water on the Peak 2 fire on July 5, 2017 in Breckenridge. The fire, which started shortly after noon, resulted in a mandatory evacuation for the Peak 7 neighborhood and an evacuation standby order for roughly 40 homes in the Gold Hill neighborhood. A shift in the wind is pushing the wildfire north and slowing its climb up the mountain. Eight smokejumpers and a local firefighting crew are on scene. An air attack is underway with a tanker dropping flame retardant and a helicopter conducting bucket drops. The fire broke out in the Gold Hill Trail area near Breckenridge.
David Kish, Special to The Denver Post
The Breckenridge Fire as seen in the early afternoon on July 5, 2017.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Concerned residents look at the Peak 2 fire from the top of Swan Mountain Road on July 5, 2017 in Breckenridge. The fire, which started shortly after noon, resulted in a mandatory evacuation for the Peak 7 neighborhood and an evacuation standby order for roughly 40 homes in the Gold Hill neighborhood. A shift in the wind is pushing the wildfire north and slowing its climb up the mountain. Eight smokejumpers and a local firefighting crew are on scene. An air attack is underway with a tanker dropping flame retardant and a helicopter conducting bucket drops. The fire broke out in the Gold Hill Trail area near Breckenridge.
Hugh Carey, Summit Daily News
A wildfire burns near Breckenridge on Wednesday, July 5, 2017.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Kori Teper and her new husband David didn't let the Peak 2 Fire, seen in the distance, get in the way of getting their wedding photos taken on the top of Swan Mountain Road on July 5, 2017 in Breckenridge. The two had just gotten married but were evacuated from where they were staying. The fire, which started shortly after noon, resulted in a mandatory evacuation for the Peak 7 neighborhood and an evacuation standby order for roughly 40 homes in the Gold Hill neighborhood. A shift in the wind is pushing the wildfire north and slowing its climb up the mountain. Eight smokejumpers and a local firefighting crew are on scene. An air attack is underway with a tanker dropping flame retardant and a helicopter conducting bucket drops. The fire broke out in the Gold Hill Trail area near Breckenridge.
Hugh Carey, Summit Daily News
A wildfire burns near Breckenridge, Colo., on Wednesday, July 5, 2017. The fire was reported midday Wednesday and is burning in the White River National Forest.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
DeAnn Brogan, right, and her husband Phil, middle and son Josh, from Fairplay, watch as helicopters dump water on the Peak 2 fire on July 5, 2017 in Breckenridge. The fire, which started shortly after noon, resulted in a mandatory evacuation for the Peak 7 neighborhood and an evacuation standby order for roughly 40 homes in the Gold Hill neighborhood. A shift in the wind is pushing the wildfire north and slowing its climb up the mountain. Eight smokejumpers and a local firefighting crew are on scene. An air attack is underway with a tanker dropping flame retardant and a helicopter conducting bucket drops. The fire broke out in the Gold Hill Trail area near Breckenridge.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Concerned residents look at the Peak 2 fire from the top of Swan Mountain Road on July 5, 2017 in Breckenridge. The fire, which started shortly after noon, resulted in a mandatory evacuation for the Peak 7 neighborhood and an evacuation standby order for roughly 40 homes in the Gold Hill neighborhood. A shift in the wind is pushing the wildfire north and slowing its climb up the mountain. Eight smokejumpers and a local firefighting crew are on scene. An air attack is underway with a tanker dropping flame retardant and a helicopter conducting bucket drops. The fire broke out in the Gold Hill Trail area near Breckenridge.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Brian Pence uses binoculars to watch the Peak 2 fire from the top of Swan Mountain Road on July 5, 2017 in Breckenridge. The fire, which started shortly after noon, resulted in a mandatory evacuation for the Peak 7 neighborhood and an evacuation standby order for roughly 40 homes in the Gold Hill neighborhood. A shift in the wind is pushing the wildfire north and slowing its climb up the mountain. Eight smokejumpers and a local firefighting crew are on scene. An air attack is underway with a tanker dropping flame retardant and a helicopter conducting bucket drops. The fire broke out in the Gold Hill Trail area near Breckenridge.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Concerned residents look at the Peak 2 fire from the top of Swan Mountain Road on July 5, 2017 in Breckenridge.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Firetrucks arrive on scene to help fight the Peak 2 fire on July 5, 2017 in Breckenridge. The fire, which started shortly after noon, resulted in a mandatory evacuation for the Peak 7 neighborhood and an evacuation standby order for roughly 40 homes in the Gold Hill neighborhood. A shift in the wind is pushing the wildfire north and slowing its climb up the mountain. Eight smokejumpers and a local firefighting crew are on scene. An air attack is underway with a tanker dropping flame retardant and a helicopter conducting bucket drops. The fire broke out in the Gold Hill Trail area near Breckenridge.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Concerned residents look at the Peak 2 fire from the top of Swan Mountain Road on July 5, 2017 in Breckenridge. The fire, which started shortly after noon, resulted in a mandatory evacuation for the Peak 7 neighborhood and an evacuation standby order for roughly 40 homes in the Gold Hill neighborhood. A shift in the wind is pushing the wildfire north and slowing its climb up the mountain. Eight smokejumpers and a local firefighting crew are on scene. An air attack is underway with a tanker dropping flame retardant and a helicopter conducting bucket drops. The fire broke out in the Gold Hill Trail area near Breckenridge.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Kori Teper and her new husband David didn't let the Peak 2 Fire, seen in the distance, get in the way of getting their wedding photos taken on the top of Swan Mountain Road on July 5, 2017 in Breckenridge.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Brian Pence uses binoculars to watch the Peak 2 fire from the top of Swan Mountain Road on July 5, 2017 in Breckenridge. The fire, which started shortly after noon, resulted in a mandatory evacuation for the Peak 7 neighborhood and an evacuation standby order for roughly 40 homes in the Gold Hill neighborhood. A shift in the wind is pushing the wildfire north and slowing its climb up the mountain. Eight smokejumpers and a local firefighting crew are on scene. An air attack is underway with a tanker dropping flame retardant and a helicopter conducting bucket drops. The fire broke out in the Gold Hill Trail area near Breckenridge.
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
As the sun sets helicopters continue to make water dumps on the Peak 2 fire on July 5, 2017 in Breckenridge.
Jack Queen, Summit Daily News
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Flames rise above the trees as a wildfire burns near Breckenridge, Colo., on Wednesday, July 5, 2017. The fire was reported midday Wednesday and is burning in the White River National Forest.
Fourteen miles southwest of Kremmling, the Eagle County fire remained at 1,000 acres Saturday and is 3 percent contained. Above average temperatures, dry thunderstorms, erratic winds and dry fuels are contributing to active fire behavior. The fire slowed as it moved to the contingency line and reduced smoke is being seen in the valley.
Radium campground and boat launch are still temporarily closed. The White River National Forest is in Stage 1 fire restrictions along with the Bureau of Land Management public lands, unincorporated and private lands in Summit, Eagle and Rio Blanco counties. Stage 1 fire restrictions are already in effect in Mesa, Garfield, and Pitkin counties. The White River National Forest, Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District has issued a temporary, emergency closure of Forest Road 402 for fire operations. Currently no structures are threatened and no other evacuations or official closures are in place.
Mill Creek Fire
According to websites tracking the fire 13 miles northeast of Hayden, the area of burn was measured at 482 acres Saturday evening, with 40 percent containment. The fire is burning mainly on private property.
Hand crews made substantial progress with the help of five engines, a Routt County bulldozer, and a helicopter from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control that has been conducting bucket drops of water and fire suppressant gel. Saturday crews continued to hold and improve the fire line on northern flank.
Smoke could still be an issue in the surrounding communities with smoke from the Peekaboo fire also affecting air quality.
East Rim Fire
A fire crew of 77 has managed to keep this lightning-caused fire to 690 acres in size. The blaze was 25 percent contained as of Saturday evening. Located approximately 45 miles north of Cortez, the East Rim Fire was burning mostly on federal lands and in ponderosa, gamble oak and pinon pine stands.
The fire was believed to have been started by lighting a week ago.
