Aerial resources assigned to the Grand Hogback Fire were sent home yesterday, with the exception of a single helicopter, which will remain on standby at the Garfield County Airport in Rifle. According to Walt Stowe with the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, ground crews will continue fighting the fire, which was estimated to be 50% contained as of 5:00 Tuesday afternoon. The cause is still under investigation, with the total cost of the fire estimated to exceed $100,000.
In Eagle County, the Gutzler Fire continues burning southwest of Kremmling. White River National Forest Spokeswoman Kate Jerman says that fire grew from 50 acres on Sunday to several hundred today and caused the evacuation of at least one campground. The Gutzler Fire is one of six fires currently being fought or assisted by federal firefighters in Colorado.
Stowe says while the Grand Hogback Fire is not out, crews are still making very good progress and it is not producing very much smoke. He says the smoke in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River Valleys is from the other fires burning in the state.
The Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center says they have sent (or are sending) resources to six active fires in Colorado.
