A lightning storm in Montrose County ignited two wildfires on the North and South rims of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park on July 10. The South Rim Fire — the larger of the two blazes — expanded to 4,160 acres on July 16, and was still 0% contained as of press time.
A crew of roughly 300 firefighters has responded on the ground and in the air, using retardant to protect infrastructure as the fire encroaches on the East Portal Road and Crystal Dam. According to InciWeb, containment is still estimated to be a month away. The Black Canyon will remain closed indefinitely, and a portion of Blue Mesa Reservoir, west of the Middle Bridge, is closed for firefighting operations.
In the early morning of July 10, a thunderstorm ripped through Gunnison and Montrose counties. At 11 a.m., two wildfires were reported at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. According to InciWeb, park rangers successfully evacuated all park visitors, including backcountry hikers and staff.
An Incident Management Team, San Juan Team 8, assumed command of the fire on July 11. The firefighters encountered red flag conditions, defined as gusty winds and low humidity. The fire’s fuel bed consisted of sagebrush, grasslands, pinyon pine and juniper trees. The crews successfully protected nearby park structures and homes by clearing vegetation and using retardant. The blaze spread to 1,640 acres.
On July 12, firefighters turned their attention to nearby communities. The firefighters constructed a fireline and burned off existing fuel to create a buffer along the wildfire’s southwestern front. Airtankers continued to protect infrastructure by dropping retardant and water.
The South Rim Fire doubled to 3,500 acres by July 13. Montrose County issued evacuation notices for the Bostwick Park Community, and residences on M73, N73, N74 and O74 roads.
The Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 3 assumed command of the wildfire on July 14. The crews cleared vegetation by hand on the north side of the fire, and ran hoses along the northwest front.
Helicopters also worked in the area by dropping water. But in the evening, a thunderstorm whipped up the flames and stalled progress. High winds and heavy smoke limited the firefighters’ visibility, and the fire expanded significantly along its western boundary.
On July 15, the South Rim Fire swelled to nearly 4,000 acres. Firefighters began working to construct bulldozer lines to protect power lines on East Portal Road that connect to the Crystal Dam. Two airplanes dropped water over the northwest boundary, helping ground crews build a fireline, and regain a foothold on the northern perimeter. The Colorado Department of Fire Protection and Control has provided engines, water tenders and overhead personnel for the remainder of the week.
According to InciWeb, crews have set an estimated containment date for Aug. 10. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is closed indefinitely, including the North Rim, South Rim and East Portal areas. The Blue Mesa Reservoir is also closed west of the Middle Bridge, as firefighting aircraft access the area and refills with water.
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@gunnisontimes.com.)
