The 403 fire in Park and Teller counties is 92% contained and the fire has burned 1,518 acres, fire officials said Thursday.
Officials also announced they are pursuing criminal charges in the human-caused wildfire that started March 30 behind a local resident’s home, according to the Park County Sheriff’s Office.
“We are seeking criminal charges and will to the fullest extent of the law. This fire was preventable. While it may seem early in the fire season, we remind everyone to use caution when dealing with any open flames, ashes or heat sources,” said Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw in an earlier news release.
Wildfire crews continue working on the fire to reach full containment. The fire continues to produce smoke as heavy fuels in the interior smolder, fire officials said.
A red flag warning for fire safety concerns is posted by the National Weather Service Thursday for the 403 fire area. Warm, dry and windy weather has prompted the warning, which expires at 9 p.m.
Southwest winds are expected to gust to about 45 mph and relative humidity will drop to about 10%, the weather service said. The high temperature in the area is expected to be in the mid-60s.
“Conditions will be favorable for rapid rates of fire growth and spread,” the weather service warns.
Wildfire map
Click markers for details, use buttons to change what wildfires are shown. Map data is automatically updated by government agencies and could lag real-time events. Incident types are numbered 1-5 — a type 1 incident is a large, complex wildfire affecting people and critical infrastructure, a type 5 incident is a small wildfire with few personnel involved. Find more information about incident types at the bottom of this page.
