Two homes were lost, a national park is closed and evacuation notices remain in place as fire officials continued attacking several wildfires burning along Colorado’s Western Slope on Friday.
Sowbelly fire
A wildfire that sparked in Mesa County on Thursday amid soaring temperatures, tinder-dry conditions and gusty winds has burned into Delta and Montrose counties, prompting pre-evacuation notices for people living and camping in Escalante Canyon.
The Sowbelly fire is burning on an estimated 2,194 acres after “very active fire growth” on Thursday afternoon, according to Delta County officials and the Bureau of Land Management’s fire dashboard. The fire, which was initially called the Boyce fire, is burning along Tatum Ridge, southwest of the town of Delta and U.S. 50.
“Due to the narrow canyon and limited evacuation routes, the sheriff’s office is recommending any existing campers leave the canyon area for campsites closer to the highway and no new camping occur in the canyon due to the wildfire,” the Delta County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook.
People should avoid Escalante Canyon because of the rapidly growing fire.
Mountain View fire
The Mountain View Fire has destroyed at least two homes and burned at least 60 acres in Chaffee County northwest of Buena Vista, according to the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office.
As of Friday morning, the fire was 50% contained, and there was no spread overnight, according to the Chaffee County sheriff.
Crews continue to extinguish spot fires and mop up hotspots, officials said. Evacuation of the Mountain View Estates neighborhood and pre-evacuation orders for a 5-mile radius remain in effect, the sheriff’s office said.
There were no known injuries at this time, officials said. Fifty homes were in the evacuation zone surrounding the fire, according to the Chaffee County Facebook page.
All evacuees are asked to report to the Buena Vista Sheriff’s Office. Evacuees with small animals can take them to the Ark Valley Humane Society, while large animals can be taken to the Buena Vista Rodeo Grounds, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office declared Friday a no-burn day for all of unincorporated Chaffee County “due to limited firefighting resources as they will be busy still fighting the Mountain View Fire north of Buena Vista.” No burning outdoors is allowed, including smoking, the agency said.
Officials said they did not believe the fire had entered public lands as of Thursday evening.
South Rim fire
About 140 miles west, wildfires burning at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park grew to 1,640 acres overnight, according to the fire tracking website Inciweb. The fire was deemed the South Rim Fire. A nearby fire at the park’s North rim is still burning, National Parks Service spokesperson Lauren Huckle said, but it’s not requiring as many resources.
The South Rim Fire is at 0% containment, Huckle said.
“High temperatures, very low humidity, gusty winds, and very dry vegetation across the region have led to extreme fire danger at Black Canyon,” read information from the National Park Service.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park closed Thursday as fire officials fought the flames, which officials said were caused by lightning. Visitors and staff were evacuated from the park. The fire is burning in pinyon pine and juniper, mixed with sage and grass.
“Residents near the national park should remain vigilant and be prepared to evacuate should conditions change,” according to the Inciweb webpage. “If there is danger, do not wait for an official evacuation, leave the area immediately.”
Air quality concerns
Because of the fires, moderate to heavy smoke is expected to linger in southwest Colorado, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The department issued an air quality health advisory in effect until 9 a.m. Saturday.
Impacted counties for the air quality advisory include: Saguache, San Juan, Hinsdale, Mineral, Archuleta, southern Mesa, Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel, Dolores, Montezuma, La Plata, Rio Grande and Conejos Counties.
“If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood, you may want to remain indoors,” the advisory said. “This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and older adults. Consider limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present. Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill. If visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy.”
This is a developing story that will be updated.
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