Royal Gorge Fire reaches 20 percent containment
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Key Facts as of 8:30 p.m.
- Fire size is estimated at 3,100 acres and 20 percent containment
- 20 structures have been lost
- The Royal Gorge Bridge is intact
The Royal Gorge Fire continues to burn west of Canon City in piñon and juniper forests. Fire behavior throughout the day was active with visible torching, spotting and running in heavy fuels.
All road closures and evacuations remain in place west of Canon City throughout the evening. Firefighters continue work to establish anchor points and build line around the fire. Road closures are in place to allow firefighters to operate safely in the area.
The Royal Gorge Rodeo grounds are available for those needing to shelter their livestock.
“We have made good progress on the fire today without any accidents or injuries thanks in large part to our many partners,” said Dennis Page, Incident Commander for the Royal Gorge Fire. “Crews from Canon City, Fremont County, and the State of Colorado are working alongside firefighters from the BLM and U.S. Forest Service.”
Some challenges firefighters will face Thursday include a Red Flag Weather Warning, downed power lines, and active fire moving in stands of beetle killed trees.
A Type 2 Incident Management Team will take command of the fire Thursday morning. The team is working on planning a community informational meeting for Thursday evening. Details will be provided in the Thursday morning informational briefing.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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.