Kremmling Field Office expands East Troublesome Fire emergency area closure
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KREMMLING, Colo. – Due to continued extreme fire behavior and rapid fire growth, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Kremmling Field Office has issued an additional area closure in the vicinity of the East Troublesome Fire.
In total, approximately 31,000 acres of BLM public lands are closed to all public use. Within Grand County, the closures encompass all BLM managed lands north of U.S. Highway 40 to the Arapaho National Forest boundary, east of Grand County Road (GCR) 2, and west of U.S. Highway 34. Additionally, a BLM parcel south of Lake Granby at Walden Hollow, all of the Strawberry Special Recreation Management Area, and BLM managed lands south of U.S. 40 and north of GCR 55 are closed. In Jackson County, BLM managed lands north of the Routt National Forest boundary, east of Jackson County Road (JCR) 11, south of JCR 28, and west of Colorado Highway 125 are closed to all public entry and use. The Routt National Forest has also expanded its area closure. Both agencies' closures are depicted on this map.
“These closures are necessary for protection of public and firefighter safety,” said Kremmling Field Manager Bill Mills. “This is a very fluid situation, and we are working with our state, county, and federal partners, and the Pacific Northwest Team 3, to continually assess the need for, and extent of, area closures to minimize impacts to the public.”
In little more than one week, the East Troublesome Fire has scorched over 170,000 acres of National Forest, BLM, National Park, and private lands. Unseasonably warm temperatures, drought-stricken fuels, and strong winds have driven unprecedented fire growth through heavy timber stands in northern Colorado. The Pacific Northwest Team 3 (Type I) assumed command of the fire on October 22. The fire’s cause is under investigation. Additional fire information is available online at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7242/.
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The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.