At last report, 143 firefighting personnel were working to stop the Black Mountain Fire in Grand County. Despite efforts, the blaze has grown to 393 acres in size, up from the 170 acres that was reported on August 31. The fire remains uncontained.

Burning approximately 8 miles northeast of Kremmling and first reported on Sunday afternoon, most of the growth of the blaze came slow and consistent, as the fire continues to scorch high elevation, remote terrain. It’s also worth noting that some of the ‘growth’ of the fire can be attributed to better mapping, following flights of multi-mission aircraft.

Air operations continue to be crucial to the firefighting effort. On Tuesday, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft were both heavily used to drop flame retardant and help fortify the perimeter of the burn.

Storms are expected to hit the area today, which will likely bring rainfall, but also quite a bit of lightning – something that can be a factor in sparking new fire starts. Strong winds will also be present, with gusts reaching up to 40 miles per hour. Winds can aid in pushing the growth of a fire along.

As a result of the fire, an emergency closure has been put in place in nearby forestland. Two zones of rural Grand County near Parshall are also under pre-evacuation notice.

See the forest closure below:

Resources continue to build to fight the fire, including a hotshot team, more heavy equipment, and additional crew members.  While the current goal is creating a fireline in needed areas, safety of firefighters remains the top priority.

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