On the afternoon of June 8, what officials described as a “fast growing” wildfire popped up in western Colorado near Paradox in Montrose County. It flared up amid dangerous ‘red flag’ conditions, which were expected to continue through at least Wednesday with exception of a little nighttime and morning relief.

Since dubbed the Beehive Fire, the blaze on Carpenter Ridge has grown to 180 acres in less than 24 hours. At last report, there was zero containment.

Per a report from BLM – Southwest Colorado Fire and Aviation, the current Tuesday effort involves working to slow the fire’s spread and identifying natural features that can help with containment. Gusty and dry conditions are expected to continue throughout the day, which may increase fire activity.

At this time, the fire is burning in challenging terrain, though it’s remote, too, so no road closures or evacuations have been announced at time of reporting.

The Beehive Fire was sparked by lighting from storms that moved through the area on June 7. This fire provides a good example of how a lightning strike may not immediately spark a blaze, with heat from the strike able to remain stored underground for days or weeks, flaring up when the right conditions are present.

Those in the area who need to sign up for Montrose County emergency alerts can do so here. Updates related to this fire will likely be posted on this Facebook page.

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