Rain, hail and possible tornadoes on the eastern side of the Continental Divide were a stark contrast to the arid and gusty conditions threatening to reignite an already burning Spring Creek fire on the Western Slope near Parachute. 

Local and national authorities on the Spring Creek fire warned campers to be mindful of critical fire conditions as Tuesday stretched into an expected Red Flag warning day.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the fire had burned nearly 3,000 acres and was 37% contained Tuesday with the expectation that low humidity, dry conditions and high wind gusts could ramp up the flames in the evening hours.

Fire managers used the fire’s downtime Sunday and Monday to prepare for a worst-case scenario, directing patrols to re-cool hot spots, build fire lines and clear vegetation to protect populated areas on the north side of the fire.

They also studied the dryness of vegetation in the area, evaluated the topography, and used computer models to predict the possible fire behavior.

Wildland firefighters, Bureau of Land Management camp crews, and  the U.S. Forest Service joined with personnel from as far as South Dakota and Wyoming to fight the fire. 

Incident meteorologists watched incoming weather to determine the best plan for attack, according to Rocky Mountain Critical Incident Management Team #2 information officer Laura Lozier.