Intensifying Colorado fire grows thousands of acres

The East Troublesome Fire in Colorado, which forced hundreds to evacuate this week, grew another 45,000 acres Thursday afternoon and evening.

The fire, located near Grimes Peak on the Arapaho National Forest, now spans more than 170,100 acres and is 5% contained, according to an InciWeb map. On Thursday, fire officials reported the fire spanned 125,000 acres.

Officials are also monitoring the Williams Forks Fire, which is burning in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. The fire spans more than 14,600 acres and is about 30% contained.

“Red flag warning will be in place for Friday,” fire officials said in a Facebook post. “The fire areas experienced strong southwest winds throughout Thursday and humidities continued to be low overnight, ranging from 18 to 20%. Active fire behavior is expected on the East Troublesome Fire again today and extremely dry fuels and heavy dead and down lodgepole will support the spread of the fire.”

Firefighters successfully completed a burnout operation along the southern perimeter near Highway 40, diminishing the fuel between the highway and main body of the fire, according to an InciWeb update.

The East Troublesome Fire continued to spread into Rocky Mountain National Park, heading northeast toward Mount Wuh.

The fires have shut down Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests. Rocky Mountain National Park is also closed.

Both the Grand County and Jackson County sheriffs have ordered evacuations due to the fires.

Other fires are burning in the state, including the Cameron Peak Fire north of East Troublesome. The Cameron Peak Fire, in the mountains west of Fort Collins, spans more than 206,900 acres and was 57% contained Friday. Firefighters appear to be gradually getting a hold of that fire.