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Colorado wildfire explodes to more than 120,000 acres, more structures damaged

Cameron Peak fire September

Colorado’s third largest wildfire in recorded history, the Cameron Peak fire, surpassed 120,000 acres Sunday amid high winds since Friday, according to Forest Service officials.

The Cameron Peak fire scorched 124,021 acres and more structures as of early Sunday. On Saturday, the fire reached 119,166 acres after it jumped fire lines when winds reached 60 mph.

“The most active areas of the fire are the two fingers north of (Colorado) highway 14…Fire crews were able to protect the temple at Shambhala and continued use of sprinklers wetting down areas ahead of the fire along with point protection for other values at risk,” the incident command page said.

Crews are assessing damages along CO-14 between the fish hatchery and Rustic, officials said. More structures were damaged along Manhattan Road, but teams are currently unable to safely assess the area.

Previously officials had said 54 structures had been damaged, including 25 residential, two of which were primary residences.

Sunday is expected to bring calmer winds and cooler weather in the area, creating an advantage for firefighting efforts.

The fire started Aug. 13 in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest and is burning 25 miles east of Walden. Nearly 850 firefighters are working the blaze and the cause of the fire is still being investigated.

Crews have a quarter of the fire contained, according to the incident command page.

636-4809

@leslie_m_james

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