Alkali Fire, Moffat County, 14 miles north of Craig: 11 a.m. Update

Information provided by BLM public information officer on July 24 at 11 a.m.

Numerous wildland fires have been reported in northwest Colorado yesterday with three confirmed incidents.  Temperatures are expected to be in the 90 degree range again today and possible thunderstorms causing erratic, shifting winds which hampers firefighting efforts and pose safety concerns.

Approximately 20,000 acres

Private with some BLM land – Unified Command

Type 3 Incident Management Team in place

Challenges:

            Dry fuels, high temps, sustained winds, T-storms with erratic winds

Cloud cover is currently helping to hold down fire activity

2- Colo. State 20-person hand crews, 3- MoCo engines, 2 BLM engines, 1-FWS engine, 4 road maintainers, 2 WT

Life and property safety highest priority

Destroyed: 1-Homestead Cabin, I Barn, propane tank

3-cattle carcasses found, other cattle being moved by ranchers

Threatened: pipelines, O&G, Transfer station in Great Divide Area

Personnel: about 70 people