At 7:15 p.m. on July 9, Hinsdale County addressed a new blaze dubbed the Elk Fire that sparked about 25 miles east of the Gold Mountain Fire, which started burning near Ouray on June 27 and has since reached 33,185 acres.

The Elk Fire is burning on the upper edge of Hinsdale County, west of Highway 149 and about 6.5 miles north of Lake City. Per the latest update from Watch Duty, it’s about 12.2 acres in size. It was first reported around noon on Thursday.

In recent hours, airtankers were dropping retardant on the Elk Fire, which has resulted in additional smoke filling the surrounding valley, combining with smoke from the larger Gold Mountain Fire. The Elk Fire is burning in rugged terrain within wilderness boundaries, which has made accessing the blaze difficult. Crews are working to establish containment as a means of limiting growth, with no threat to communities or infrastructure at last report.

Additional updates may be posted to the Hinsdale, County Facebook page. Watch Duty is a great resource, to.

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