Update (7/14/26):
The Fishhook Fire in Routt County has grown to more than 200 acres. Pre-evacuation orders are in place along Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests near Rabbit Ears Pass. The area does not include any residential areas, but visitors should stay out of the forest in those areas. Highway 40, which is south of the fire, remains open.
Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place for the Green Ridge Fire. As of Tuesday afternoon, it was 45% contained.
The following roads are closed in the area:
- Routt County Road 16 at 18A
- Routt County Road 212 just past Schussmark Trail
- Snowbird Trail
- Broken Talon Trail
- Broken Talon Way
- Lynx Basin Way
- Lynx Basin Lane
- King Fisher Lane
- Green Ridge Drive
- Mountain Meadows Drive
- Ute Trail
- Cheyenne Trail
- Los Ranchos Road
- Commanche Road
Sheriff Doug Scherar told the Steamboat Pilot that the Green Ridge Fire was started by a tractor baling hay.
Original story (7/13/26):
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.
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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 there are currently no evacuation orders.
"Today fire growth has been fairly moderate, which is great," U.S. Forest Service spokesperson Aaron Voos said. "Not much growth to speak of. Still on or around 100 acres or so. We haven't gotten our flight yet today for mapping. So hard to say exactly what the acreage is. Now that said, we are getting into the afternoon hours when this fire was very active yesterday, so we'll see how today treats us."
The fire is burning in a "pretty inaccessible area," he added. Almost 100 firefighters are working to contain the blaze along with support from helicopters.
Steamboat Ski Area closed access to some of its hiking and biking trails because of the fire, which is burning southeast of the resort.
"One thing that will impact recreationists in the area is smoke," Voos said. "So that'll that'll definitely be a big one at night. You know, obviously that settles, and the community of Steamboat experienced that last night, and we anticipate that on future nights."
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.
