Evacuation orders have been issued for the Low Line Fire burning in Gunnison County 14 miles northeast of Gunnison and 11 miles southwest of Crested Butte.
The fire, which was caused by lightning, has burned 720 acres in the Ohio Creek area with no containment. A mandatory evacuation order has been issued for residents in the Mill Creek Drainage area west of the intersection of County Roads 730 and 727.
Another fire, also started by lightning, was reported yesterday in Teller County. The Fossil Beds Fire is said to be 14 acres in size and is 90% contained as of last night. Evacuation orders were issued yesterday for the Palmer Village Subdivision just east of Florissant. The evacuation orders have since been lifted. The fire in Teller County is located at Lower Twin Rocks Road at Barksdale.
No structures have been lost and no injuries have been reported in either fire.
The wildfire threat in Colorado is starting to return after a reprieve during an unusually wet June. July is bringing hot temperatures and heat advisories. Vegetation changing from green to yellow to brown is a visual reminder of the danger of wildfire. The message to property owners is to do fire mitigation work around your home as soon as possible.
