Two additional wildfires broke out Sunday in Routt County, adding to the growing number of acres burning in the state. Meanwhile, thousands of firefighters continue to work across Colorado to contain tens of thousands of acres of burning wildfires.
Get top headlines and KUNC reporting directly to your mailbox each week when you subscribe to In The NoCo.
One of those fires, nicknamed the Green Ridge Fire, has burned 44 acres so far, and there are currently evacuations in place. That’s according to the Routt County Sheriff’s Office, which issued evacuation orders and evacuation warnings south of Stagecoach Reservoir around County Road 16.
The county has a map that outlines the areas currently being evacuated.
So far, there are no updates on the containment level of the Green Ridge Fire.
North of there, the Fishhook Fire is burning southeast of Steamboat Springs. At 94 acres, it’s the larger of the two currently burning, but the fire is far from residential areas, and there are currently no evacuations.
Deadly aircraft crash in Gunnison County
A pilot working to help contain a fire near Ouray has died after an aircraft crashed into Silver Jack Reservoir Sunday evening. The Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office made the initial announcement on its social media account before updating Sunday night that the pilot’s body had been recovered. The pilot was part of the effort against the Gold Mountain Fire, which has consumed more than 36,000 acres.
This death comes after three wildland firefighters were killed along the Utah-Colorado border at the end of June.
Other wildfires around Colorado
The state’s widespread drought has brought fires to almost every corner of Colorado, but crews are slowly making progress in some areas. The Willow Fire near Leadville is now 33% contained. It has burned more than 5,800 acres.
Meanwhile, the most destructive fire so far is the Aspen Acres Fire, which has torn through close to 100,000 acres. The fire is now about 35% contained. The fire in Pueblo and Custer counties has caused widespread evacuations. Multiple media outlets report that more than 800 structures have been destroyed so far.
Stay up to date on wildfires in the state with the latest headlines and an interactive map on KUNC’s Wildfire Resources page.
