Grand Junction wildfire burning
Vail, CO Colorado
GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado ” A fire burning in steep terrain in the Grand Mesa National Forest has grown from 300 to 422 acres, but crews are allowing it to burn unless it becomes a threat.
Bill Kight of the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit says the blaze is several miles away from private land, and no structures are being threatened.
The Coal Creek fire is being fueled by Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir trees, as well as pinon and juniper.
Jaime Gardner of the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center says the fire was sparked by lightning from a storm that moved through the area last week. It didn’t flare up until Tuesday.
Kight says Grand Junction officials are working with his team to monitor the blaze because they want to protect the Kannah Creek watershed.