A grass fire that flared up Tuesday, Sept. 7, along U.S. Highway 40 east of Dinosaur in Moffat County, could have been worse if not for local firefighters and emergency responders.

The fire began Tuesday afternoon and quickly grew to about two acres while threatening a nearby historic cabin. However, crews from the Artesia Fire Protection District and assisting agencies got the blaze under control before it did any real damage.

Artesia Fire Chief Troy Zufelt said Tuesday night that firefighters were still mopping up and checking for hotspots to ensure the grass fire was out, but the danger had all but subsided with the blaze fully contained.

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The historic cabin, which was thought to be built around the late 1800s or early 1900s, was not burned, Zufelt said.

The National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Dinosaur Marshal’s Office and Colorado Department of Transportation all assisted at the scene.

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Because of the old cabin, the wildfire has been dubbed the Pop’s Place Fire. Getting it under control took firefighters about an hour and 15 minutes, according to Zufelt.

While the Pop’s Place Fire has been contained, the fire danger remains very high in Moffat County and Northwest Colorado.

“Check your chains on your trailers, check your tires and be cautious because the roadsides are very, very dry right now,” Zufelt warned.