Western Colorado wildfire update: Crews making headway on containment
Courtesy of South Rim Fire Information Facebook Page
Several wildfires in western Colorado have scorched more than 30,000 acres as of Sunday, but firefighting crews are making progress with containment, incident officials said.
Ignited by lightning strikes earlier this month, the Turner Gulch, Sowbelly, South Rim and Wright Draw blazes caused Gov. Jared Polis to make a disaster declaration. This allowed the state to mobilize its resources, including supplies, equipment and personnel, to assist in battling the fires. The declaration could also allow Colorado to request aid from FEMA and other federal agencies, should that become necessary.
The disaster declaration included the Deer Creek fire, which has grown to 16,340 acres and crossed the Colorado border into Montrose County.
Here’s an update of the western Colorado wildfires:
• Turner Gulch — 15,737 acres, 34% containment
• South Rim — 4,252 acres, 21% containment
• Sowbelly — 2,274 acres, 66% containment
• Wright Draw — 448 acres, 0% containment
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