Firefighters gained significant ground against the High Park fire Tuesday as weather conditions, fresh staff and equipment helped contain the flames.

Incident Cmdr. Keith Long said containment increased from 37% to 70% by the end of the day Tuesday, and acreage stayed about even at about 1,570. While containment is expected to increase steadily in the coming days, the interior of the fire is likely to continue burning for months until soaking rain or snow arrives and it will have to be closely monitored, he said. 

“You are going to see smoke on the landscape for months to come,” he said, at a town hall for residents.

Firefighters could see slightly better conditions at High Park fire Tuesday

Evacuation and pre-evacuation orders also remain in place because conditions could change fast and residents could have to leave the area again, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said. Evacuation orders could be lifted in the coming days, but he could not be more specific. 

The early season fire could be a harbinger of an intense season to come across the West, Long said in an interview, noting this is the third major fire for his federal team, which is dedicated to large wildfires. Type 1 teams like Long’s typically don’t see fires like High Park until June. 

He expects a tough fire season, because climate change is driving dry conditions and nationally firefighting crews are struggling with recruitment, he said. In addition, many wildland fire teams don’t start until June. 

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The High Park fire benefited from rising to the top of priorities in the West, in part, because of the homes and communication infrastructure that serves local emergency responders that are at risk. As a result, it received strong federal air support and personnel.

A total of 430 people are working the fire, including firefighters from many local departments.

“The potential for this fire to get big was huge,” he said. 

Five helicopters have been battling the fire and numerous ground crews and four hot-shot crews, who can work in the toughest terrain, have working on containment, Long said. The crews also were aided by moderate temperatures and strong humidity recovery overnight, which can help slow extreme fire behavior. 

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The hot-shot crews will be cutting handline Wednesday along the southeastern edge of the fire in Rattlesnake Gulch, he said. 

The crews may challenged by conditions on Thursday, when humidity is expected to be low and wind gusts could exceed 30 mph, he said. 

To aid in the fight, the Woodland Park School District is closing schools to free up staff to help with fire camp operations. For example, Gateway Elementary School teachers helped set up fire camp, by putting up yurts and signage, Long said. Their help was needed because federal camp crews don’t start until June.

Elementary school staff will help until the end of the day Thursday, and middle and high school staff may help on Friday if needed, a news release said. 

In the coming months and years, the Teller County fire departments will need more volunteers so that more people are trained to assist in an emergency, Mikesell said. 

If the High Park fire was competing for assets later in the summer, it may not have received as much help, and so the community needs to be diligent in prevention and reporting fires, County Commissioner Dan Williams said. 

“We really need you to be hyper-diligent,” he said. 

High Park fire remains at zero containment, 'still a danger' Teller County sheriff says