Craig Daily Press / Officials: Fire danger 'moderate to high'

Archive for Saturday, July 18, 2009

Daily Press staff

July 18, 2009

The Northwest Colorado Fire Management Unit reported that a recent sampling of area vegetation shows a drying trend.

Fire season has been delayed because of the spring and early summer rains, but the transition to fire season is under way, fire officials said.

Area vegetation is drying out, and many grasses are cured. Sunny days, higher temperatures, lower relative humidity and dry winds deplete the soil and vegetation of moisture.

These conditions contribute to higher fire danger.

Fire danger now is moderate at elevations above 6,000 feet, and moderate to high across Moffat and Rio Blanco counties and lower elevations.

The most recent storm front that passed through the region was accompanied by a band of lightning that has been identified as the main source of wildfires in Northwest Colorado.

Eleven fires were reported since the storm passed through earlier this week.

Most are controlled or have been put out.

The largest is the Crooked Wash Fire that was reported Wednesday evening. It is located 25 miles northwest of Meeker and spreads 75 acres across Bureau of Land Management public land.

The fire is 80 percent contained, but officials said full containment is expected by today.