Update 4 p.m. June 13
Straight Creek Fire 100 percent contained
SILVERTHORNE, Colo. – Firefighters fully contained the 8-acre Straight Creek Fire today.
The two Colorado-based Hot Shot crews – Craig and Roosevelt – that have been working the fire completed reinforcing containment lines and mopping up this afternoon and are available for new assignments. Local crews will continue to monitor the Straight Creek Fire burn area.
The fire started Thursday night about two miles east of Dillon in the Straight Creek area. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The Forest Service has issued a closure around the burn area for firefighter and public safety. The closure includes Straight Creek Trail and Tenderfoot trail system.
The latest information on the Straight Creek Fire, including area closures, is available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7525/.
Update 6:30 p.m. June 12
Straight Creek Fire 80 percent contained
SILVERTHORNE, Colo. – Firefighters reached 80 percent containment on the 8-acre Straight Creek Fire today, with full containment expected tomorrow (Sunday, June 13).
Fifty firefighters made steady progress strengthening containment lines and mopping up through the significant amount of dead and down trees in the burn area.
No aircraft were used in Saturdays’s operations. The Two Hot Shot crews will remain on the fire through tomorrow. Local crews will continue to monitor the Straight Creek Fire following full containment.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The Forest Service has issued a closure for the area southeast of the fire for firefighter and public safety. The closure includes Straight Creek Trail and Tenderfoot trail system.
The latest information on the Straight Creek Fire, including area closures, is available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7525/. The public fire information line is 970 468-5400.
For the latest updates about I-70, visit www.cotrip.org
Update 6 p.m. June 11
From: David Boyd, Public Affairs officer with the US Forest Service, White River National Forest
Firefighters on the ground and aerial resources keep Straight Creek Fire from growing
SILVERTHORNE, Colo. – Firefighters today successfully kept the Straight Creek Fire from growing and brought containment to 30 percent.
Aerial mapping shows the burned area is eight acres. As the afternoon winds picked up, firefighters were able to use two heavy helicopters and a light helicopter to douse areas as fire activity increased. Two Hot Shot crews are building containment line around the fire. About 60 firefighters are working the fire.
“This fire had the potential to significantly grow today,” said Dillon District Ranger Adam Bianchi. “The aggressive responsive coordinated among federal, state and local resources kept it small.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The Forest Service has issued a closure for the area northeast of the fire for firefighter and public safety. The closure includes Straight Creek Trail and Tenderfoot trail system.
The latest information on the Straight Creek Fire, including area closures, is available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7525/. The public fire information line is 970 468-5400.
“We are early in the fire season, and conditions will be getting warmer and drier,” Bianchi said. “We really need people to continue to be diligent.”
In addition to being careful with campfires where they are allowed and ensuring fires are completely out before leaving camp, people need to be sure equipment like chainsaws have spark arresters, and avoid parking in dry grass or allowing trailer chains to drag.
Friday
Here’s an update on the fire near Silverthorne. It’s called the Straight Creek Fire. It’s about two miles east of Dillon, between I-70 and Tenderfoot Mountain. Maps show it between Silverthorne and the Eisenhower-Johnson Tunnel along I-70, near Milemarker 209. It has burned about 15 acres in live and beetle-killed lodgepole pine.
Two hot shot crews are en route to help the three engine crews and three helicopters currently working it.
CDOT reports, “Smoke and flames may be visible. No stopping on the interstate.” I-70 may be closed intermittently. Check CDOT at www.COTrip.org for updates.
The Upper Colorado River Fire Management Unit reports, “Fire activity moderated overnight, but activity is expected to increase as temperatures warm and the wind increases. The fire is burning in live and dead spruce and lodgepole pine on the White River National Forest.”
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