Fawn Fire 1,065 acres, 100 percent contained

Photo: Rio Blanco County Road & Bridge Department

The Fawn Fire was started by lightning and is currently burning on BLM and private lands near County Road 29, about 30 miles southwest of Meeker in the Piceance Basin. It has grown from 450 acres as of 6:53 p.m. Sunday to 1,065 acres Wednesday morning according to Inciweb (https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5906/). The fire was 90 percent contained as of Wednesday and listed as 100 percent contained the next day.

Fire retardant drops by two heavy air tankers (C-130 MAFFS from Colorado Springs) took place Sunday morning. Planned operations include further burnouts supported by aircraft, engines and firefighters on scene. According to RBC Sheriff’s office, “More than 100 firefighters worked with two heavy air tankers and four single-engine air tankers yesterday (Sunday, July 8) … which is burning in pinyon-juniper in a rugged, remote area of the Piceance Basin about 30 miles southwest of Meeker. No structures are immediately threatened. Firefighters will continue focusing their efforts on burn out operations, containment lines and patrolling the fire’s perimeter.”