HOT SULPHUR SPRINGS, Colo. — Fire crews were able to achieve 3% containment on the Williams Fork Fire, burning near Hot Sulphur Springs in Grand County, according to a Wednesday morning update from the incident command team.
The Williams Fork Fire increased in size by only a few hundred acres to 6,726 acres late Tuesday night. The fire spotted over Darling Creek to the south by approximately a half-mile.
Fire officials said the fire may have burned an additional three to four miles to the Southeast on Wednesday. An afternoon thunderstorm caused winds to pick up in the area. The run did not move towards any properties, according to fire officials.
The fire is 3% contained with the containment taking place in the northwest area of the fire along County Road 30.
The fire also continued to burn within its perimeter, said fire officials on Wednesday. A small smoke column will be seen over the fire as weather conditions allowed firefighters to make progress in containing the fire.
Wednesday's firefighting efforts were focused on protecting infrastructure and high resource values in the area, while remaining aware of potentially hazardous weather and fuels conditions as highlighted by the Red Flag Warning, fire officials announced. Fire managers also developing contingency plans with an overall goal of preventing the fire from reaching private lands.
The Great Basin Type 1 Incident Management Team 2 assumed command of the fire on Tuesday at 8 p.m. More than 200 personnel are battling the Williams Fork Fire as of Wednesday morning.
The Williams Fork Fire was first reported just before noon on Friday, Aug. 14 and since then has burned 6,726 acres near Hot Sulphur Springs, which is about 96 driving miles northwest of Denver. Officials have not named an exact cause, but believe it was "human-caused."
As of Wednesday morning, there are no standing evacuation orders for residential areas, including the Fraser Valley. The Grand County Sheriff (GCSO) has launched the Williams Fork Fire Pre-Plan Map for pre-planning and preparation purposes.
For the most current information and to sign up for CodeRED Emergency Notifications please go to gcemergency.com. All residents and visitors in Grand County are asked to download the CodeRed mobile app to stay up to date.
The U.S. Forest Service has a large closure area in effect west of Winter Park and Fraser that includes roads, trails and campgrounds. The Grand County Sheriff has also issued a Stage 3 fire ban for that same area. Please visit fs.udsa.gov/arp for details.
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