By Shannon Lukens.
The Crosho Fire in South Routt County and across the border into Rio Blanco, continues to burn. It reached 1,700 acres late Wednesday. No containment.
Crosho Fire Information on Inciweb.
Governor Polis has verbally declared a disaster emergency to help support the response efforts. He has authorized the use of the Colorado National Guard.
Evacuations and pre-evacuations are underway in South Routt County with the Crosho Fire. Many of those told to evacuate are at the Routt County Fair this week.
The link to the Routt County Emergency Management Map is www.co.routt.co.us/EmergencyIncidentMap
South Routt Elementary in Yampa is being used as an Evacuation Center.
Watch Duty says the Crosho Fire is near the Crosho Lake Recreation area, 7.5 miles northwest of Yampa, in Routt, Rio Blanco, and Garfield counties.
Egeria Park Roping Club has the arena and grounds available where livestock can go, also dry camping spots, on Hwy 131 between Yampa and Toponas. If you need details, call Stacy Dilley at 970-819-9811.
The Routt County Extension office is helping with animal evacuations in the threatened area, as are the Routt County Fairgrounds in Hayden.
Routt County Emergency Livestock Grazing Questionnaire
If you need assistance completing this form, please call the extension office at 970-879-0825.
Colorado Horse Rescue is a website that helps you evacuate horses in Colorado. It’s a type of ride share website for horses when they need to be evacuated. It connects those with horses with nearby drivers that have trailers. If you are a ranch owner or want to be registered as a volunteer to haul horses, go to https://www.horsealert.org
There are more road closures in the area. The public has been asked to avoid the area and absolutely no drones, please, as it shuts down any aerial operations.
Stagecoach Reservoir is closed to all boating, both motorized and non-motorized. This is where planes are filling up with water to put on the Crosho Fire in the Flat Tops Wilderness area.
More on the Story – Crosho Fire Update
The National Weather Service in Grand Junction has issued Fire weather watch through this evening and again on Friday.
Routt County is in Stage 2 Fire Restrictions, as is Moffat County.
From the Routt County Fair…
Makayla Iacovetto won Grand Champion Swine at the fair Wednesday.
“I think it’s a really cool opportunity. This is the first time in all my years of showing that I’ve been able to pull off such an achievement. I’ve always been proud of my sisters. They usually do really well. But this is my first year of winning grand and my last year in 4-H but I feel good about winning and going out with a bang.”
Her sister, Kylie, was Grand Champion Reserve.
Video of Makayla Iacovetto winning Grand Champion Swine
In the Exhibit Hall… There were over 1,200 entries this year. The prestigious Helen Sherrod Outstanding Home Artist Award goes to Jump Button, with 31 blue ribbons. The silent auction continues there today.
The Routt County Fair today has the Rabbit Show this morning, the Bucket Calf and Dairy/Beef Breeding Show at 12:30 with Market beef at 2 p.m. At 4 p.m., it is the Chuck Fulton Memorial Open Draft Horse Demo followed by the Junior Rodeo at 6 p.m. and Royalty Crowning. A Street Dance on the midway is at 9 p.m. tonight. A full schedule is on our website.