Mandatory evacuations were lifted Tuesday as crews gained containment on the Green Ridge fire burning near Steamboat Springs, according to Routt County officials.
Read more Donald Trump endorses ‘Pillow Man’ Mike Lindell for Minnesota governor
The nearby Fishhook fire continued to burn on more than 200 acres with no containment, joining four other wildfires active across Colorado. Together, the Fishhook, Green Ridge, Aspen Acres, Gold Mountain, Ferris and Willow fires have consumed nearly 208,000 acres, or 325 square miles.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced this week that any people or businesses affected by wildfires that have been declared a disaster emergency — including the Aspen Acres, Big Sheep, Ferris, Gold Mountain, Green Ridge, Poitrey Canyon, Sharpe, Snyder and Willow fires — will be eligible for some tax relief.
The deadlines for state income tax extensions, due Oct. 15, and sales taxes, due between July 20 and Oct. 20, can both be extended to Dec. 31, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue.
“No Coloradan should have to choose between rebuilding a life and meeting a tax deadline,” Polis said in a statement. “By extending these deadlines for people and small businesses, we’re helping Coloradans impacted by wildfires get the time and space needed to recover, without the added pressure of late fees.”
Taxpayers affected by the wildfires can also contact the Department of Revenue to request penalty waivers for other taxes and fees due in October — including marijuana, fuel and retailer delivery fees. Those tax deadlines can be extended to Nov. 6.
The deadlines will not automatically be extended, according to state revenue officials. Eligible taxpayers must call 303-238-7378 after receiving a bill.
“The Department of Revenue stands ready to help Coloradans affected by these wildfires,” Taxation Division Senior Director Brendon Reese said in a statement. “We hope that by waiving late filing penalties that impacted Coloradans can focus on rebuilding and recovering from these devastating fires. Please reach out to us so that we can help.”
Jump to: Aspen Acres fire | Green Ridge and Fishhook fires | Gold Mountain fire | Ferris fire | Willow fire | Air quality alerts
Aspen Acres fire in Custer and Pueblo counties
As of Tuesday morning, the Aspen Acres fire burning in southern Colorado had consumed 99,077 acres, or 155 square miles, and was 36% contained, fire officials said.
The wildfire is Colorado’s largest active wildfire and the seventh-largest in the state’s recorded history, behind the 2018 Spring Creek fire that consumed 108,045 acres.
The Aspen Acres fire has destroyed at least 851 structures. It’s unclear how many of those are homes, but law enforcement in Pueblo and Custer counties previously announced that at least 337 homes and four businesses had been destroyed.
While large sections of the evacuation orders had been lifted in Pueblo County on Tuesday, Huerfano County officials ordered new mandatory evacuations on private and U.S. Forest Service land as fire activity picked up along the western edge of the nearly 100,000-acre wildfire.
Sheriff’s officials issued mandatory evacuations for Forest Service land east of where Williams Creek crosses into the national forest, along the creek to the intersection of Huerfano County Road 630, north to County Road 636, and west to County Road 634/Gardner Road.
The Bartlett Trail subdivision and the surrounding area are also under evacuation, county officials said.
Updated evacuation maps for Pueblo and Custer counties.
The following roads remained closed for the fire as of Wednesday morning, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation:
- Colorado 165 in both directions between McKenzie Junction and Interstate 25
- Colorado 78 in both directions between Colorado 165 and Rock Creek Road west of Pueblo
The exact origin of the fire remains under investigation, but officials believe it was human-caused.
Green Ridge and Fishhook fires
Two wildfires sparked south of Steamboat Springs in northern Colorado on Sunday, according to Routt County officials.
As of Tuesday evening, the Fishhook fire had scorched an estimated 229 acres with no containment in Routt National Forest, near Rabbit Ears Pass, according to the U.S. Forest Service. U.S. 40 remained open as of Wednesday morning.
The fire is roughly three miles from the Steamboat Ski Resort.
Mandatory evacuations were lifted Tuesday for the Green Ridge fire burning near the Stagecoach Reservoir, which was last estimated at 44 acres with 27% containment, according to Routt County officials. The fire had threatened 480 structures when Gov. Jared Polis issued an emergency declaration on Sunday, but none have been damaged or destroyed.
Road closures remained in effect around the fire on Wednesday, including:
- Routt County Road 16 at 18A
- Routt County Road 212 just past Schussmark Trail
- Snowbird Trail
- Broken Talon Trail
- Broken Talon Way
- Lynx Basin Way
- Lynx Basin Lane
- King Fisher Lane
- Green Ridge Drive
- Mountain Meadows Drive
- Ute Trail
- Cheyenne Trail
- Los Ranchos Road
- Commanche Road
The cause of the fires remains under investigation.
Gold Mountain fire near Ouray
The Gold Mountain fire has consumed 37,259 acres with 12% containment, fire officials said Wednesday. That’s roughly 58 square miles.
“With another night of improved humidity recovery, firefighters continued making steady progress,” fire officials said in a Wednesday morning update.
Read more Man drowns after raft overturns in Cherry Creek State Park
Thunderstorms are expected to pick up in the afternoon, bringing higher humidity and a 50% chance of rain, according to the update.
“Although it will help, the fuels are still critically dry and receptive to ignition and fire spread,” fire officials said. The storms can also produce erratic winds, which fuel wildfires.
More than 880 personnel remained on scene to fight the wildfire, according to Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2, which took control of the fire response on Tuesday.
Mandatory evacuations remained in place on Tuesday for residents of Ouray and Gunnison counties north of the fire, according to the evacuation map.
The Ouray County evacuation zone was bordered to the west by County Road 8 and County Road 10, to the south by Baldy Peak, to the east by Green Mountain and the Cimarron Ridge and to the north by Tommy Creek and Deer Creek.
Evacuations were also in effect northeast of the Cimarron Ridge, along the border of Gunnison and Montrose counties, according to the map. That area is bordered to the north by Washboard Rock, to the east by Gunnison County Road 864A, to the south by Hampden Lake and to the west by Cimarron Ridge.
Montrose County residents north of the mandatory evacuation zone and Gunnison County residents to the east of the zone were on pre-evacuation status at that time.
Evacuated residents can seek shelter at the Ridgway Secondary School, 1200 Green St., according to county officials.
The cause of the Gold Mountain fire, which sparked shortly after 5:30 p.m. on June 27, remains under investigation
Ferris fire in San Juan National Forest, near Dolores
As of Tuesday evening, the Ferris fire had consumed an estimated 64,869 acres, or 101 square miles, in and near the San Juan National Forest north of Dolores. At that time, the flames were 43% contained, fire officials said.
Lightning sparked three fires in the San Juan National Forest on June 27. Those fires then grew and merged into the Ferris fire.
As of Wednesday morning, most of the evacuations had been lifted around the wildfire. Small pockets of mandatory evacuations remained in effect near Ryman Creek and Little Pony Reservoir, but the majority had been downgraded to pre-evacuation status.
Willow fire near Leadville
Containment shrunk slightly on a wildfire burning near Leadville in Lake County, dropping to 28% on Tuesday from 33% on Monday, according to fire officials.
As of Tuesday evening, the Willow fire had consumed roughly 6,539 acres, according to Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4, which is leading the fire response. The burn area covers roughly 10 square miles.
Mandatory evacuations remained in place Tuesday for an area bordered to the north by Lonesome Lake and Isolation Lakes, to the west by Twining Peak, to the south by Echo Creek and to the east by East Tennessee Creek. Updated evacuation information can be found online.
The cause of the fire, which started on June 29, remains under investigation. As of Tuesday evening, 597 personnel were on scene to fight the wildfire.
Air quality alerts
The four large fires have led to consistently worsening air quality across the state, prompting state health officials to issue advisories. The warnings mostly cover central, west and southwest Colorado.
The newest alert from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will remain in effect until at least 9 a.m. Wednesday, according to the agency. That alert includes Delta, Montrose, Ouray and Pueblo counties.
If the smoke drops visibility to less than 5 miles in an area, it has reached unhealthy levels, state health officials said in the alert. Those with heart disease and respiratory illnesses, young children and older adults are more at risk.
An ozone action day alert was also issued for the Front Range and will be in effect until at least 4 p.m. Wednesday. That alert covers the urban corridor from Douglas County to Larimer and Weld counties, including the Denver and Boulder areas.
Sunny, hot and stagnant weather will allow ozone to reach the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” level on Wednesday, state health officials said in the alert.
Read more Denver police officers conducted unconstitutional traffic stop of Black driver, judge finds
Get more Colorado news by signing up for our Mile High Roundup email newsletter.
