Wild Rose Fire approximately 850 acres

The Wild Rose Fire is on the west side of Texas Mountain spreading primarily to the east. High winds have pushed the fire through the pinion and juniper trees and the fire is now 850 acres.

Hampering firefighting efforts is limited access, rugged terrain, thick smoke and high winds. Fire fighters observed embers spotting up to one half mile.

All oil and gas facilities are shut down and Encana employees have left the area. Rangely Volunteer Fire Department is providing fire protection for the buildings at the Encana station.

For public and fire fighter safety road closures are in place and being managed by Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office and RBC Road and Bridge. Closed: Rio Blanco County Road 116 closed from Highway 139 to RBCR 113; RBCR 107 closed from Highway 139 to RBCR 116.

A Rocky Mountain Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered to assist with the management of the Wild Rose Fire. The IMT is anticipated arrive tomorrow afternoon.

“Delegating management of our largest incident to the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team will allow us to focus on existing and new wildfires,” said Jim Michels Northwest Colorado Fire Management Duty Officer.

There are two other smaller wildland fires in Rio Blanco County.  One is in the Piceance Basin about 40 miles southwest of Meeker in Ryan Gulch on BLM land. Meeker Volunteer Fire Department is assisting with the five acre fire through a mutual aid agreement. The other wildfire is one tenth acre across Highway 139 near the Wild Rose Fire. 

No injuries reported. No structures reported damaged or destroyed.

Information from BLM public information officer. 

Wild Rose Fire 500 Acres

The report of black smoke was called in about 1:45 p.m. today to the Craig Interagency Dispatch Center.  A load of Smokejumpers based out of Grand Junction were ordered but high winds aborted the mission and the smokejumpers were grounded.  They are assigned to the incident and are traveling to the Wild Rose Fire by ground.

Numerous oil and gas facilities are in the immediate vicinity of the wildland fire. There are structures north of the fire which are threatened as blaze is being pushed by wind out of the southwest.  A youth camp on private land about one mile from the incident is being evacuated by Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office.  An undetermined number of adults and 40 children are leaving the camp.

Flames are being driven by high winds through pinion and juniper trees on Bureau of Land Management land.

BLM engines are en route to the incident. Additional resources ordered are: one 20-person type 1 hand crew; two heavy air tankers (planes) for retardant drops; and a helicopter.

It is in the south west corner of Rio Blanco County near Oil Springs Mountain on Bureau of Land Management land.

Information from BLM public information officer. 

Bull Gulch Fire starts in Fremont County

 A small 25-acre fire is burning north of Highway 50 on BLM-managed lands, approximately one mile east of Table Mountain, and about nine miles northwest of the intersection of Road Gulch and Copper Gulch Road.

The fire is burning in brush, piñon and juniper trees. There are eight smokejumpers on scene along with 2 single engine air tankers. Two 20-person firefighting crews are in route to the fire.

No structures have been lost.

The fire’s cause is not yet known.

This information is provided by the BLM public information officer.