Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Lightning-Started Wildfires Burn BLM Lands Near UtahColorado Border

Red Flag conditions and gusty winds are raising the risk of rapid spread as crews and aircraft work to protect homes and close roads.

Overview

  • Federal officials say at least eight fires ignited by lightning are burning on Bureau of Land Management lands along the UtahColorado border and western Colorado.
  • The largest blaze, the Jones Fire, is estimated at about 1,450 acres and is spreading toward Colorado while the Snyder Mesa Fire has grown to roughly 100 acres and may threaten structures.
  • Interagency crews, engines and aircraft are actively engaged in suppression on all incidents, with command coordinated by the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit and local departments.
  • Mesa County issued pre-evacuation notices for properties along BS Road, closed roads up to the BLM boundary, and deputies are notifying residents in person.
  • The Colorado Department of Public Health issued an air quality alert for multiple western-slope counties and officials warned the Red Flag Warning remains in effect, urging people with heart or lung conditions to limit outdoor activity.