The Grizzly Creek Fire has spread to more than 27,000 acres, according to the latest update from incident command. The fire, burning in the Glenwood Canyon is on both sides of Interstate 70, shutting down the main east-west artery for more than a week already. Wildfire fighters say that rockslides from the fire have crossed the roadway, and there is no word on when it might be reopened.
The situation has rerouted interstate vehicles, with greatly-increased traffic routing south into Chaffee County via U.S. 24 and U.S. 285, to U.S. 50.
The fire is reported to be the largest in history in the White River National Forest. While evacuation orders have now been lifted for the area north of I-70 and west of Colorado River, residents of all those residential areas remain on pre-evacuation orders. With heavy smoke blanketing the area, residents are being advised to remain indoors.
As a precaution, the U.S.Forest Service has closed the shooting range at Minturn as well.
The Grizzly Fire is one of at least four major fires burning in the state, with the Pine Gulch Fire north of Grand Junction now more than 70,000 acres and growing in remote forest areas. Because the Grizzly Creek Fire has closed a major traffic artery and is near residential areas, it is considered one of the top wildfire priorities in the nation right now.
For those who love the scenic Hanging Lake area, firefighters say that it has been spared.
Recent Comments