New rapidly growing wildfire sparks, torching several hiking trails in Colorado
A new wildfire – called the Middle Fork fire – broke out Sunday about 10 miles north of Steamboat Springs.
The 3,522-acre fire is burning in the Zirkel Wilderness Area west of Lake Margaret between the Middle and North forks of Mad Creek. The blaze was reported at just 137 acres on Monday morning.
According to the official report on InciWeb, the fast-moving blaze has reached Luna Lake, with flames headed toward Mount Ethel. It is located within one mile of the Continental Divide Trail, a popular hiking destination.
Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue urged hunters and recreators to leave the area, deeming it unsafe on Monday due to “erratic winds, high heat, and low humidity.”
Multiple forest trails, including 1168 (Luna Lake), 1168.1A (Fish Hawk) and 1182, have already been torched.
The cause of the fire is being attributed to lightning.
While the fire has experienced rapid growth, firefighters may soon get an assist from Mother Nature.
“Blowing snow and smoke through the day. Just weird, but better than yesterday,” the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland tweeted on Tuesday morning.