Colorado wildfires burning more than 120,000 acres on Western Slope
Four large wildfires burning on the Western Slope, including the Williams Fork Fire in Grand County, have grown to more than 120,000 acres combined, as of Sunday morning.
The Williams Fork Fire burning southwest of Fraser reached 6,000 acres by Sunday morning with 0% containment.
Meanwhile, fires burning outside the county include the Grizzly Creek, Pine Gulch and Cameron Peak fires.
The largest, the Pine Gulch Fire, is burning over 81,000 acres outside Grand Junction. The fire is currently 7% contained and it’s believed to have started on July 31 by a lightning strike.
In Glenwood Canyon, the Grizzly Creek Fire is almost 26,000 acres and crews estimate it won’t be until September that the fire is contained. Interstate 70 remains closed between Glenwood Springs and Gypsum.
North of Grand County, the Cameron Peak Fire is burning at 10,800 acres in Larimer County. Highway 14 is closed at Cameron Pass for firefighting efforts.
For the past few days, Grand County officials have issued an air quality alert due to smoke from these wildfires.
If smoke is thick in your neighborhood, you may want to remain indoors. This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young and the elderly. Consider limited outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present.
Public health recommends relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and making you ill. If visibility is less than 5 miles, the smoke has reached unhealthy levels.
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