Recent rainfall has helped firefighters control the Devil’s Thumb fire northeast of Frasier, and U.S. Forest Service officials reported Thursday evening that the 95-acre fire is now 25% contained.
The fire didn’t grow Thursday as it continued burning in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, according to the latest update.
The Forest Service also confirmed that investigators determined the fire was caused by lightning.
“The public is asked to continue to avoid areas near the fire for public and firefighter safety,” the agency said on Twitter.
Late Thursday morning, the U.S. Forest Service said crews were working on building containment lines, and road barricades had been placed on Forest Service Road 128, also known as Water Board Road, to keep visitors out of the Devil’s Thumb Trailhead area.
No evacuation orders have been issued around Fraser. The fire apparently began Tuesday in the wilderness near the Devil’s Thumb Trailhead, about 7 miles northeast of Fraser. It was burning in forests where mountain pine beetles have killed trees and wind has blown dead trees down to the ground.
Forest Service officials declared “a full suppression” approach to the fire, even though it was burning in the wilderness.
It is one of five fires burning around western Colorado. The National Weather Service on Thursday issued a “red flag” fire danger warning in western Colorado as warm, dry, and windy conditions favored flames.
Spring Creek fire
Firefighters south of Parachute still were battling the 3,200-acre Spring Creek fire that broke out around June 24 on private land in Garfield County, now 37% contained. More than 500 firefighters, with air support, were trying to attack flames and hotspots. The fire grew from 2,958 acres to 3,200 acres throughout the day.
An incident update posted Thursday on a federal fire information website said a team planned to continue using “aerial ignitions” on the north and northwest parts of the fire. Those involve dropping chemicals that catch fire on impact, creating small fires as part of a “burnout strategy” designed to stop the fire as it spreads toward each burnout site.
The proximity to oil and gas industry wells and other infrastructure 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 were reported. The cause hasn’t been determined. No evacuations were ordered.
Coal Mine fire
In southwestern Colorado, the Coal Mine fire in Archuleta County has burned across 286 acres, about 18 miles north of Pagosa Springs. Firefighters were focused on smoking hotspots in the interior of the burn zone. It was listed as 95% contained.
Chris Mountain fire
About 12 miles west of Pagosa Springs, the Chris Mountain fire expanded, burning on 511 acres, and was 35% contained, according to the latest federal agency data. It was burning in forested terrain. A total of 555 firefighters were deployed. Homes in the area were evacuated. Authorities said lightning ignited the fire.
Firefighters faced “critical fire conditions Thursday as they worked to contain and suppress flames in the San Juan National Forest. “The weather forecast includes cooler conditions, and slightly higher relative humidity, but the ridge-top winds increase to 40 miles per hour,” supervisors said in the latest data update, also referring to potential thunderstorms that could bring lightning.
“Critical fire weather conditions may be present that would support large fire growth.”
Arkansas Loop fire
Another fire was burning 25 miles east of Ignacio. This Arkansas Loop fire, on Southern Ute land, had burned across 127 acres and was 50% contained, according to the latest information on the federal fire data site. Lightning sparked the fire. Firefighting coordinators estimated the fire will be fully contained by Saturday.
Denver Post reporter Jon Murray contributed to this report.
