Colorado Wildfire Update: August 17, 2020

The Grizzly Creek Fire is now listed at 26,000 acres with no containment. 

I 70 through Glenwood Canyon remains closed in both directions due to the fire, we will continue to see heavy traffic as detours will bring motorist through our area.   

The Colorado Department of Transportation is advising westbound motorist to take U.S. 24 to Highway 285 to Poncha Springs where they can take Highway 50 to Grand Junction.   Eastbound travelers are being advised to take the same route, going from Highway 50 to Poncha Springs and then 285 to 24.   

CDOT has opened Highway 82, Independence Pass, to passenger vehicles only. Commercial traffic is not allowed on Independence Pass. 

The Pine Gulch Fire burning north of Grand Junction has grown to 83,000 acres.   

The fire is burning 18-miles north of Grand Junction in Mesa and Garfield counties.  Containment remains at 7 percent. 

The Cameron Peak Fire is burning in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest near Cameron Pass and Chambers Lake, 15 miles southwest of Redfeather Lakes.  Hot, dry, windy weather, combined with critically dry fuels, have been driving rapid fire growth.   

The Cameron Peak Fire is listed today at just over 12,000 acres.   

Larimer County has issued travel alerts to stay out of the area.   

The Williams Fork Fire started Friday in the Arapaho National Forest in Grand County 15 miles northwest of Fraser, CO.  It has since grown to over 6,300 acres and is displaying extreme fire behavior as it continues moving east/northeast toward Church Park. Situated in a remote area of the upper Williams Fork Valley, the fire is located in an area that experienced intensive beetle kill in the early 2000s.  It is 0 percent contained.     

Fire restrictions are being implemented across the state as hot, dry weather continues with relative humidities in the single digits.   

You are being asked to use extreme caution with fire.   

Dan R