The Decker Fire burning in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness south of Salida grew 1,500 acres overnight, leading to the evacuation of more than 100 homes on Wednesday morning, October 2. 

As of 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, the fire was 3,746 acres large with 5% containment. Dry conditions and erratic winds at 25 to 40 mph fueled the spread of the large blaze over Methodist Mountain, which eventually crossed the Rainbow Trail near County Road 108.

This movement triggered mandatory evacuations between County Road 104 East to County Road 101. The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office issued the order at around 2:00 a.m for the following areas: Methodist Mountain Estates, Boot Hill, Pinon Ridge Estate, Fawn Ridge Estates, and Mountain Vista Village.

The Decker Fire was first discovered on Sunday, September 8, 2019, at approximately 12:15 p.m. The cause of the fire was a lightning strike.

241 firefighters, 5 helicopters, and multiple dozers are working hard to contain the wind-driven blaze. The fire is expected to be fully contained by Friday, December 20, 2019.

A Red Flag Warning will remain in effect from 11:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m Wednesday evening, October 2. Critical fire weather and high winds are expected to continue through the rest of the week.

Multiple road closures are in place around the area including Chaffee County Road 101 and County Road 49. Visit facebook.com/DeckerFire2019 for updates on the Decker Fire.