Efforts to put out Dice Hill Fire continue
news@skyhinews.com
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A helicopter dumps water on a wildfire between Kremmling andGreen Mountain Reservoir on Monday.
Eli Pace / epace@skyhinews.com
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Flames remain visible on Dice Hill at about 7 p.m. Monday.
Courtesy Jill Guttman
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Dice Hill fire on Monday, July 20, 2020.
Courtesy Jill Guttman
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Dice Hill fire on Monday, July 20, 2020.
Eli Pace / epace@skyhinews.com
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Dice Hill fire on Monday, July 20, 2020.
Eli Pace / epace@skyhinews.com
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Dice Hill fire on Monday, July 20, 2020.
Eli Pace / epace@skyhinews.com
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Dice Hill fire on Monday, July 20, 2020.
Eli Pace / epace@skyhinews.com
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Planes fight a wildfire on Dice Hill on Monday.
Eli Pace / epace@skyhinews.com
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A tanker fights a wildfire on Dice Hill south of Kremmling on Monday.
Eli Pace / epace@skyhinews.com
A small fleet of planes and helicopters mobilized Monday to beat back a wildfire that broke out south of Kremmling on the border of Summit and Grand counties.
One after another, helicopters dipped into nearby water sources before ferrying over the flames and unloading. At the same time, a team of airplanes, everything from single engine aircraft up to tankers, took runs at the hill with fire retardant.
The efforts began around 12:30 p.m., when Grand and Summit county agencies, as well as the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, responded to the wildland fire burning in an area with plenty of dead and downed trees on the steep slope of Dice Hill.
The blaze started within a half mile of a handful of structures, and a pre-evacuation order was given to the Shadow Creek subdivision, north of Green Mountain Reservoir. Also, Dice Hill Road remains closed at the intersection with Spring Creek Road.
On Tuesday morning, officials said the fire had burned 27 acres with no containment.
However, it was reported to be only “minimally active” following Monday’s aerial crews dropping slurries of water and fire retardant on the Dice Hill Fire.
According to BLM spokesperson Maribeth Pecotte, fire managers expected that minimal activity to continue throughout Tuesday due to high temperatures and light winds.
Aerial drops and ground crews also continued to work Tuesday to put the flames out and construct a fire line around the perimeter.
Crews have used Type 1 and Type 2 helicopters, alongside single engine planes and large air tankers, as well as ground crews. Altogether, about 74 people have been assigned to the fire.
While there is no official investigation yet, Pecotte said officials believe it was likely started by a lightning strike due to the remote location of the blaze.
Temperatures are expected to cool slightly as the week goes on, but there is also a chance of thunderstorms in the area through the weekend.
Grand and Summit counties are both under Stage 1 fire restrictions, which prohibits campfires except in designated areas of developed campgrounds and smoking is not allowed outside.
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