At least six fires were smoking on 5,276 acres around western Colorado on Friday.
The Devil’s Thumb fire closest to Denver, in the wilderness near Fraser, still isn’t fully contained but wasn’t spreading as firefighters worked to suppress flames with helicopter support — seizing opportunities ahead of anticipated gusty and erratic winds.
This fire has burned on 95 acres, consuming blown-down spruce and lodgepole pine trees, reaching into dense spruce near edges of the burn zone, according to the latest reports from federal fire managers posted on a government fire information website. They listed the fire as 25% contained and have closed a U.S. Forest Service road to keep hikers away from the Devil’s Thumb Trailhead, near where the fire broke out on July 4. Firefighters were planning to clear “pads” inside the burn zone where helicopters that haul water could land.
No evacuation orders have been issued. Forest Service officials declared “a full suppression” approach to the fire, even though it was burning in the wilderness.
Elsewhere around western Colorado, firefighters planned to attack flames and snuff hotspots Friday ahead of a shift to hotter and drier weather that favors flames. The National Weather Service on Friday issued a “red flag” fire danger warning covering much of western Colorado.
Spring Creek fire
Firefighting supervisors reported progress holding lines around the 3,200-acre Spring Creek fire south of Parachute, now 37% contained. Relatively calm winds, blowing at speeds less than 20 miles per hour, also gave an opportunity to ignite unburned trees and brush on the northeast side of the fire, according to updates provided on the federal fire information website. Water tanks, pumps and hoses positioned around the perimeter of the burn zone allowed firefighters to attack smoldering hot spots. And fire managers were deploying firefighters at night to areas close to hot spots, where they set up camps and worked to suppress the fire.
The proximity to oil and gas industry wells and other infrastructure in the Paracute area near the upper Colorado River has complicated firefighting, forcing crews to carry monitors to detect hydrogen sulfide or other toxic and flammable gases that could be released if flames reach industrial facilities. No injuries have been reported. The cause hasn’t been determined. No evacuations were ordered.
Coal Mine fire
In southwestern Colorado, the Coal Mine fire in Archuleta County was mostly contained Friday after burning across 286 acres north of Pagosa Springs. Firefighters were focused on smoking hotspots in the interior of the burn zone.
Chris Mountain fire
About 12 miles west of Pagosa Springs, the 555 firefighters battling the Chris Mountain fire have deployed an aerial drone to map remaining hotspots. This fire ignited by lightning devoured trees and brush across 511 acres. It was 46% contained, mostly on the west side, according to the latest federal updates.
Fire managers have sent firefighters to attack the interior of the fire in the face of “red flag” hot and dry conditions favoring flames, saying the fire wasn’t expanding. Ground crews planned to clear fuel and form a line in the Devil Creek drainage on the east side of the fire.
“Conditions remain dry” with trees “receptive to burning,” fire managers said. “Any new fire starts could spread rapidly.”
Titan fire
Firefighters have been “mopping up” hotspots — hard physical labor to extinguish and remove burning material — and had largely contained the Titan fire, 11 miles northwest of Trinidad. This fire burned across 930 acres. Fire managers reported progress toward full suppression and containment. Ground crews using heavy machinery have built and reinforced firelines.
Arkansas Loop fire
On Southern Ute land 25 miles east of Ignacio, the Arkansas Loop fire was burning in pinon and juniper forests. On Friday, the burn zone was measured at 127 acres with the fire 50% contained. Firefighters have been working in rocky terrain, trying to control and contain flames. Fire managers estimated this blaze will be fully contained by Saturday.
