MEEKER | Firefighters from the Northwest Colorado Interagency Fire Management Unit continue to manage the Hunt Fire on Bureau of Land Management land about 26 miles southwest of Meeker in Rio Blanco County. Strong winds yesterday caused the fire to grow to 1,874 acres.
The White River Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management has implemented an area closure to provide for firefighter and public safety in the area around the wildfire. The area closure includes public lands and routes within an area north of Rio Blanco County line, east of Hunter Creek Road, west of Willow Creek Road, and extending north to County Road 5. This includes Big Jimmy Gulch. See attached Closure Order # CONOS000-19-01 and map.
Lightning ignited the fire on Thursday, Sept. 5. It is remotely located; burning in thick brush and downed trees. As a result, firefighters are focusing efforts on locations where they can safely and effectively engage the fire. There are no occupied structures that are threatened by the Hunt Fire, although several historic cabins exist on private property in the vicinity. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from reaching those cabins yesterday afternoon, and crews will continue to focus on structure protection in the Hunter and Willow creek drainages today.
Two heavy helicopters are working the fire, along with two hand crews and several engines from BLM and local cooperators. The weather forecast for today is calling for winds of 5 to 10 mph out of the northeast, with temperatures reaching 75o to 85o F and a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms.
For the latest information about the Hunt Fire, visit the Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Facebook Page, @RioBlancoCountySheriffsOffice.
Prayers
Be careful
Crap
Omar Scott Gutierrez Tanya Skelly Giard