Pine Gulch Fire Just Shy of 130,000 acres and 44% Contained
The Pine Gulch Fire continued to burn over the weekend but it seems like we are either getting more used to the smell of smoke or it wasn't as bad this weekend. The smoke was obviously visible but when I was working on some yard work over the weekend the smell of smoke didn't seem as intense as it was as some times last week.
The fire that is burning 18 miles north of Grand Junction did get some good news and that is when it comes to containment as nearly 1,000 people work to keep this fire from burning homes. The Pine Gulch Fire is now 44% contained but still remains the second-largest wildfire in Colorado history having now burned over 129,715 acres.
Garfield County still has evacuations going on at these roads:
4 A Ridge Road (256), Salt Wash (205), King Road (258), Clear Creek Road (211), Carr Creek Road (207), Kimball Creek Road (202).
And pre-evacuations going on:
Everything west of Douglas Pass (CO Why 139) to Utah state line and residents along County Road 204 who live below Clear Creek Road.
Both Mesa and Garfield counties remain under stage 2 fire restrictions but there is also a statewide fire ban that was put into place by Governor Jared Polis last Tuesday.
Fingers crossed the weather starts to cooperate more with the fire crews that are working on the PIne Gulch Fire. The weather along with the terrain in which the fire is burning keeps making this extremely difficult for firefighters.
The largest wildfire in Colorado history remains the Hayman Fire back in 2002 that burned 137,760 acres.