Colorado: 8-acre Eby Creek Fire 50 percent contained

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Multiple wildfires are burning across Colorado. Click to visit the Colorado Emergency Information website for information links to all the fires.

Water drops supporting ground crews

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — An immediate attack Thursday evening against the Eby Creek Fire, near Eagle, Colorado, yielded results, as fire crews have been able to limit the fire to eight acres.

Eagle County officials reported that the fire was 50 percent contained as of Friday morning, with a few small spot fires burning outside the immediate fire perimeter. (more…)

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White House OKs federal disaster aid for Colorado

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Federal aid for Colorado’s wildfire disasters has been approved by the Obama administration.

*Read: Colorado Western Slope firefighting resources stretched

Federal funds will help with emergency work and rehabilitation efforts

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Gov. John Hickenlooper announced Thursday evening that Colorado’s request for an expedited major disaster declaration has been received, reviewed and accepted by the White House.

“This evening we learned from the White House that our disaster declaration request has been accepted. We appreciate the quick review and response,” said Hickenlooper. “With this funding we will be able to provide much needed assistance to our communities affected by wildfires.”   (more…)

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Colorado: Wildfire reported near Eagle

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Smoke visible in Summit County

Smoke from a wildfire near Eagle is visible in this picture, taken about 6:30 p.m. June 28 from Vail by Twitter user @VailGeek.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Vail-area firefighters are responding to a wildfire north of Eagle, on Castle Peak. As of 8:30 p.m. the fire was reported at about four acres.  Updates will be posted at the Eagle County website. The county is also sending Twitter updates via @EagleCounty.

More tweets from various sources are streaming at the #ebycreekfire hashtag.

Eagle County emergency officials have sent pre-evacuation notices to 75 homes in the vicinity of the fire.

A wildfire burns June 28 on Castle Peak near Eagle, Colorado. Photo courtesy Twitter user @VailGeek.

Smoke from a wildfire near Vail tints the evening sky in Frisco, Colorado.

This story will be updated.

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Colorado: Pine Ridge Fire grows to 700 acres

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Canadian air tanker leads aerial attack; fire may be within 1 mile of gas drilling operations

The Pine Ridge Fire in Mesa County. Map courtesy InciWeb.org.

By Summit County

SUMMIT COUNTY —The Pine Ridge Fire, burning in Mesa County, quickly grew to 700 acres in just a few hours and is threatening seven structures, according to the Bureau of Land Management.

The fire is burning mostly on BLM land about 10 miles northeast of Grand Junction and reportedly was lightning-caused. The area is under a red flag warning for extreme fire danger Thursday.

Based on the GPS coordinates of the fire posted at InciWeb, the fire is burning within one mile of gas wells, according to SkyTruth. At least one regional incident commander with the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit said the fire may be burning in the vicinity of some gas drilling operations. More info at the SkyTruth blog. (more…)

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Colorado: Pine Ridge fire burning near Debeque

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Fire may be burning near gas wells

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — A new wildfire, tentatively called the Pine Ridge Fire, is burning on the Colorado Western Slope, north of the Bookcliffs near Canyon Creek, and has already spurred some evacuations in the area.

The fire, believed to have been caused by lightning, has already grown to more than 200 acres, and may be burning on BLM lands not too far from natural gas wells, according to Lake Dillon Fire-Rescue Deputy Chief Jeff Berino, who is also a regional incident commander.

According to the reports Berino has heard, the fire is behaving aggressively.

Western Slope news outlets covering the fire say that an air tanker has been called from the Front Range to attack the fire in its early stages.

Coverage from Channel 5 in Grand Junction is here and the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel here.

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Colorado: Holding the line on the High Park Fire

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Red Flag warning for extreme fire weather continues across western Colorado

The latest daily progression map of the High Park Fire provided by Larimer County.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Firefighters at the High Park Fire faced dangerous conditions Sunday, as afternoon wind gusts of up to 60 mph grounded helicopters and drove the flames into unburned fuels within the fire perimeter.

But for the most part, crews were able to hold established fire lines to keep the fire from growing into new new areas. According to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, the fire did burn about 1,000 acres of unburned area on the southeast side of the fire in the Laurence Creek Lane and Redstone area.

With the southwest winds expected to push the fire to the northwest, many crews were reassigned to maintaining the fire lines on the north side of the fire. The fire was most active Sunday on the southeastern flank where more firefighters were redeployed.

With similar conditions expected to continue Monday, a Red Flag fire weather warning remains in effect across the western half of Colorado. (more…)

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Colorado: Front Range wildfires claim one life

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Lower North Fork Fire grows to 3,000 acres

Widespread red flag fire danger warnings were in effect March 26.

An air tanker working a Front Range wildfire in 2010. PHOTO COURTESY USFS.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — It didn’t take any lightning or beetle-killed trees for a spate of dangerous wildfires to break out across the Colorado Front Range, just a few weeks of unusually warm weather and a day of high winds, with a red flag fire warning in effect for large parts of Colorado. Fire news from official sources and from residents is streaming on Twitter at #CoFires.

Aerial video streaming live at Denver’s Channel 9 website.

And one of the fires turned deadly late Monday, as the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed one death in the 3,000-acre Lower North Fork fire zone, where numerous residents have been evacuated. Fire officials also confirmed that several structures have been destroyed by the wind-driven fires, but exactly how many homes were burned is still unclear. (more…)

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