Cloud cover and a forecast thunderstorm that never rolled through helped firefighters gain progress on the South Rim fire burning in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, fire officials said Friday.
The lightning-sparked fire, burning on 4,227 acres, is now 14% contained, meaning fire crews built a fireline where they are confident fire will not progress past.
Helicopters dropped buckets throughout the day Thursday on the southern edge of the fire where flames were creeping down the canyon from the knife-edge ridge, the Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Team wrote in a Friday morning update.
Crews will continue to remove vegetation on the south side to eliminate the potential sources of fuel and decrease the probability of the fire spreading, officials said.
The national park near Montrose remains closed.
Once the fire is 100% contained, officials will complete formal damage and safety assessments, the National Park Service said Friday.
Initial assessments show that the park’s visitor center, administration building and entrance booth survived the fire, but the facility management building, Western National Parks warehouse, welding shop, South Rim Campground, several bathrooms and overlooks throughout the park were either destroyed or heavily damaged, along with several pieces of heavy equipment.
Nearby Curecanti National Recreation Area remains open for hiking, camping, boating and stargazing.
Good weather Thursday also helped firefighters battling the Turner Gulch fire in Mesa County, Colorado’s largest active wildfire.
The 15,179-acre fire is now 34% contained, fire officials said Thursday evening.
Helicopters delivered supplies to fire crews in areas with restricted access and crews Thursday night worked to remove vegetation around the east side of the fire, fire officials said.
The Wright Draw fire, burning to the west, is still at 0% containment.
Officials closed public lands near wildfire activity in Mesa County on Wednesday. The emergency closure will remain in effect until the Tuner Gulch and Wright Draw fires are declared controlled, the Bureau of Land Management said.
There’s also an emergency closure in place on BLM-managed public lands in the Uncompahgre Field Office for the Deer Creek fire. The closure is near Paradox in western Montrose County.
The fire started in Utah, before crossing into Colorado earlier this week. It is currently mapped at 15,819 acres and 11% contained.
More containment was also reached on the Sowbelly fire in the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area west of Delta. As of Friday morning, the fire was 2,274 acres and 24% contained.