A lightning-sparked wildfire burning near Gunnison in western Colorado grew overnight, now covering more than 680 acres, the U.S. Forest Service said Thursday morning.
The Lowline fire ignited Wednesday morning along a ridge at 9,400 feet about 14 miles northwest of Gunnison and prompted evacuations for those living along County Road 818, the forest service said. Ten structures are threatened by the fire, but none have been reported damaged.
Three helicopters and 11 air tankers dropped buckets of water on the flames to help control the fire that is chewing through spruce and aspen in forests with heavy dead and downed trees, authorities said. State, federal and local firefighters are also helping fight the fire from the ground and more resources are en route.
As of 10 a.m. Thursday, the fire was reported at 0% contained, the Forest Service said. The fire is burning in a part of Gunnison County that is under “abnormally dry” conditions, per the latest map released by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
To the east, firefighters worked Thursday to mop up a fire in Teller County near the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. The fire was 100% contained Wednesday, but smoke could be visible over the next few days, officials said.
Wildfire tracker
Keep track of every major Colorado wildfire
Here are the wildfires burning across Colorado, including the latest information on active fires, helpful resources and in-depth coverage.
>> Read more