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Western Colorado wildfire grows to 3,000 acres

A fast-moving wildfire is burning in western Colorado.

The Spring Creek Fire is burning about five miles southwest of Parachute on the Western Slope of Colorado near Interstate 70, Denver Gazette media partner KUSA reported Tuesday.

The fire, which started over the weekend, had burned about 212 acres and was 20% contained as of Monday morning. By Monday night, the fire was estimated to be close to 3,000 acres.

Fire managers said the fire saw significant growth Monday afternoon, and due to the hot and dry conditions and increased winds there is a significant smoke column. They said no structures are threatened by the fire currently.

An incident management team is expected to arrive at the fire on Tuesday, along with additional crews.

There are no evacuations as of Monday night, but residents are asked to sign up with Garfield County emergency notification at GarCo911.com to get the latest updates.

Smoke from a wildfire near Parachute, Colorado drifts over metro Denver Monday, June 26, 2023. (Credit, 9News)
Smoke from a wildfire near Parachute, Colorado drifts over metro Denver Monday, June 26, 2023. (Credit, 9News)

Smoke from the fire is visible across Colorado, including in the Denver area. There’s so much smoke, satellites caught the plume spreading all the way to the Front Range.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued an air quality health advisory for southern Garfield and northern Mesa counties due to the smoke. The heaviest smoke impacts early Tuesday morning will most likely be along the Interstate 70 corridor between Parachute and De Beque, the advisory says.

A separate wildfire, named the Hubbard Fire, is burning just north of Rifle, also in western Colorado. That fire started Sunday and was estimated to be about eight acres as of Sunday night.

The Spring Creek fire burning outside Parachute, Colorado, as seen Monday, June 26, 2023, has burned nearly 3000 acres as of Tuesday morning. (Credit, Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit)
The Spring Creek fire burning outside Parachute, Colorado, as seen Monday, June 26, 2023, has burned nearly 3000 acres as of Tuesday morning. (Credit, Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit)


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