Multiple agencies responded Tuesday to a controlled burn that got out of hand at Westlands, more than 20 miles up County Road 8 in eastern Rio Blanco County.
As of Wednesday morning, the fire had burned between 70 and 100 acres of private and public land and was still uncontained. Cool, rainy weather overnight helped slow the fire’s progress, according to Sheriff Anthony Mazzola. No structures were lost and no injuries reported. A hand crew was coming in Wednesday to dig a fire line around the perimeter. Late Tuesday Meeker Fire and Rescue was called to the scene of a house fire at mile marker 71 west of Meeker on Hwy. 64. There were no injuries, but the home was seriously damaged. Undersheriff Brice Glasscock said the Colorado Bureau of Investigation has been called in to determine the cause of the fire.
THURSDAY MORNING UPDATE: The MM 24 Fire in Eastern Rio Blanco County started Tuesday with a Controlled Burn of ditches on private land that went out of control. As of 7 p.m. Wednesday the fire was 80 percent contained.
This morning crews went to work and the fire is 95 percent contained. Today containment will be at 100 percent by 10 a.m. with the mop-up operations continuing today. All resources will be demobilized this afternoon.
The fire was mapped and GPS’ed at 77 acres. Approximately 69 acres were on private land and 8 acres were on the White River National Forest.
On scene today:
Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management
US Forest Service
Juniper Valley/Buena Vista Hand Crew
Total of 30 personnel on scene.
