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Firefighters reach 35% containment on Ptarmigan Fire

Firefighters continue to make progress in building containment around the Ptarmigan Fire burning northeast of Silverthorne.

Firefighting efforts and colder weather have effectively stopped the wildfire from growing over recent days. Summit Fire & EMS spokesperson Steve Lipsher said Sunday, Oct. 3, that it remains at about 86 acres.

Lipsher said there were still about 150 people assigned to the fire, including firefighters and support staff. A helicopter has also continued to make regular water drops on the fire’s northeast perimeter where terrain is the most difficult to access.



“Hand crews are going gangbusters on fortifying the perimeter of the fire,” Lipsher said. “… As of now, the fire is about 35% contained, and that’s mostly on the western side of the fire closest to the developed areas.”

Containment is a measure that officials use to denote an area they’re confident the fire couldn’t spread beyond. Lipsher said firefighters have also completed a “saw line” around the entire fire perimeter, which means they’ve removed trees and other fuels from the area, but it isn’t yet considered contained.



Pre-evacuation notices remain in place for the Hamilton Creek, Angler Mountain Ranch and South Forty neighborhoods, as well as for residents living east of Summit County Road 2020 and north of Summit County Road 2021.

Trails in the area will remain closed while firefighting efforts continue.

“We’ll get that area open once the mitigation for public safety has been completed: once the fire is out and once we’ve gone along those trails and taken down any hazard trees that are likely to fall on the trail or on people,” Lipsher said. “It’s going to take a little bit of time, and we certainly appreciate the patience of the public in understanding. Fortunately, in Summit County, there’s no shortage of trails where you can get outside. But that area right now needs to be off-limits.”


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