Extremely dry conditions are helping fuel two large fires across western Colorado, forcing the state Department of Transportation to close a section of Interstate 70.
On Tuesday, all lanes in both directions were shut down between Glenwood Springs and Gypsum (mile markers 116 to 140), and the road remains closed until further notice.
The Grizzly Creek fire near Glenwood Junction, which started Monday, covered about 6,200 acres as of noon Thursday. This is the fire that has forced the closure of I-70.
Besides road closures, the fires have led to evacuation orders from the Garfield County Sheriff’s office.
Meanwhile, the Pine Gulch Fire, which started back on July 31, is now spread across more than 68,000 acres 18 miles north of Grand Junction. It is the sixth-largest wildfire on record for Colorado, and was only 7% contained as of noon Thursday.
This region of Colorado has been in a drought for almost a year, and the National Weather Service (NWS) is not expecting conditions to improve much anytime soon. The NWS has posted red flag warnings due to breezy and extremely dry weather. Relative humidity will be less than 15%, and with southwesterly wind gusts of 25 to 35 mph, these fires could spread faster and new fires could start. There’s no rain in the forecast for these areas over the next week.
The Storm Prediction Center’s (SPC) fire weather outlook for Thursday shows an “elevated” risk of wildfire danger in northwest Colorado.
The near surface smoke forecast from the latest High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model shows ongoing issues across Colorado Thursday, with much of the smoke from the fires out west focused along the I-70 corridor.
Brokerage Compliance Symposium
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
F3 Awards Dinner
The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
F3: Future of Freight Festival
Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowThe night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowIndustry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now