GRAND COUNTY, Colo — Red flag conditions caused containment on the Williams Fork Fire to drop from 25% to 14% on Wednesday, fire officials said.
The fire grew in the McQueary Creek drainage near Jones Pass and the Richey Creek drainage near Keyser Ridge, officials said.
U.S. Forest Service said two plumes of smoke were visible in Grand, Summit and Clear Creek counties.
Helicopters dumped water on the fire's north flank to keep it from growing more near Keyser Creek, officials said.
Officials said weather is a continued concern. The weather outlook for the foreseeable future calls for continued extreme drought conditions with weather conducive to active fire behavior, including low relative humidity, temperatures 10-20 degrees warmer-than-normal, and 20 mph winds out of the west/northwest.
Forest officials reinstated the larger closure area that includes roads, trails and campgrounds in the Keyser Creek, Crooked Creek and St Louis Creek areas.
There are currently no campfires allowed in Grand County, as they are under Stage 2 fire restrictions.
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The fire, which is burning about seven miles southwest of Fraser, started near the Henderson Mill on Aug. 14 and quickly grew due to high winds, steep slopes and dense fuels. So far it has burned 12,993 acres.
The cause of the fire was determined to be human-caused and tips are being sought from the public.
Anyone who was in the Williams Fork area the night of Aug. 13 or the morning of Aug. 14 and has photos of the area where the fire started is asked to email them to SM.FS.usfsarp@usda.gov.
Those without photos, but who have information to share can call 307-745-2392 and select option 5. Callers are asked to leave their name and call back number so law enforcement can contact them for follow up.
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