Grizzly Creek at 44% containment

Wildfires continued to burn across the state Tuesday, as fire crews increased containment.

Smoke from the fires, combined with particulates spewed from California’s fires, have significantly worsened air quality across Colorado.

Pine Gulch

The Pine Gulch fire grew Tuesday to 135,903 acres, or 212 square miles, fire officials said on InciWeb. Containment of the fire remained at 47%.

A wildland fire crew with the Denver Fire Department returned home Tuesday from a two-week tour on the fire. Denver fire has 69 firefighters assisting with wildfires across the United States, the department said Tuesday.

All road closures and Bureau of Land Management closures of public lands in and around the fire area remain in place, fire officials said Tuesday.

Afternoon winds Monday brought fire activity east of Garfield County Road 267, moving up Corral Canyon and onto the ridge near Long Point, officials said.

Crews conducted successful burning operations Monday night near Colorado 139, and the containment line is holding well in the area, officials said.

More than 900 people are fighting the fire, which sparked July 31 from lightning, and remains the second-largest wildfire in Colorado history.

Grizzly Creek

The Grizzly Creek fire grew overnight Monday to 32,060 acres, or 50 square miles, but fire crews were able to gain significant containment, fire officials said in a news release.

Containment jumped to 44% Tuesday from 33% the day before.

Officials urged caution for those driving through recently reopened Interstate 70 near Glenwood Springs as fire crews are still using the highway to access the fire. Rest areas are closed, no stopping is allowed and there will likely be periodic closures due to mudslides or other events, officials said.

Conditions along the I-70 corridor in the mountains remain extremely dry and residents and passing motorists are urged to use extreme caution in the area, said Eagle County Sheriff James Van Beek during a Tuesday evening Facebook briefing.

A flare-up Monday night temporarily closed the highway as helicopters used buckets to drop water.

Fire activity was expected to increase Tuesday due to higher temperatures, outflow winds and low moisture in fuels. It was predicted that thunderstorms could bring lightning in the evening.

Cameron Peak

The Cameron Peak fire increased slightly overnight Monday, and had burned 21,017 acres, or 33 square miles, with 0% containment.

The fire, burning about 15 miles southwest of Red Feather Lakes, received some beneficial cloud cover Tuesday, fire offcials said in an afternoon briefing on Facebook. There was a possibility of evening showers.

Precipitation is expected Wednesday, according to the fire zone weather forecast and officials are hoping for two-tenths of an inch of moisture with more possible rain as the week progresses. Winds, however, could push the fire this weekend.

Hotshot crews and heavy equipment operators worked Tuesday to complete a bulldozer line in Dadd Gulch west of Pingree Park Road.

Williams Fork

The Williams Fork fire grew slightly overnight Monday, and had burned 11,266 acres, nearly 18 square miles, with 5% containment, fire officials said in a Tuesday Facebook post.

Fire crews have been conducting burnouts, deliberately setting fire to fuels to slow or stop the progress of approaching fire, on the west end of the fire zone, near the Henderson Mill, as well as doing containment work in the area, said Mike Johnston, deputy operations chief, Tuesday afternoon during a Facebook briefing.

A containment line in the area could be declared by the end of the week, officials said.

On Tuesday, fire activity on the north side of the fire was “limited,” Johnston said.

No evacuations have been ordered for Fraser Valley residents, and a large swatch of federal land west of Winter Park and Fraser remains closed.

Lewstone

The Lewstone fire is 100% contained and all evacuation orders are lifted, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday at about 5:20 p.m.

No resources were committed to the fire overnight, but 45 firefighters will continue mop-up operations on Wednesday under command of the sheriff’s office.

Thorpe

The Thorpe fire, which is about 159 acres in Park County, is 75% contained, fire officials said Tuesday night.

Mandatory evacuations were lifted at 7 p.m. Monday but pre-evacuation notices remain in place in case fire conditions change, officials said Tuesday afternoon.