All Evacuations Lifted For Pine Ridge Fire
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (CBS4)- Firefighters working the Pine Ridge Fire are encountering difficult conditions as they try to get the upper hand on the wildfire. All evacuations orders in Mesa County have been lifted.
Fire crews are dealing with another day of hot, dry conditions with wind gusts up to 25 mph.
The fire has grown to 12,752 acres and is 25 percent contained. It's burning 13 miles east of Grand Junction in the Bookcliffs. The fire was started by lightning on June 27.
All evacuation orders in Mesa County have been lifted, but residents in the DeBeque area are to remain on pre-evacuation status.
Fire crews took advantage of down slope winds on Saturday to conduct burnout operations that will help strengthen fire lines. There area 321 fire crews on scene including hand crews, 32 engines, two water tenders and overhead personnel.
The cost to fight the fire is nearly $1 million at $986,561.
Three unoccupied tents and campers were destroyed when the fire crossed Mustang Ranch Thursday. Cost of the lost structures is unknown. The area is unsafe for owners of those structures to return at this time.
Interstate 70 is open but travelers should be aware that road closures could be implemented if fire activity warrants.
High winds spread the flames for miles to the east on Thursday. When the fire was spreading rapidly, fire crews worked to keep the fire west of I-70 and out of developed areas. The interstate was closed for several hours due to firefighting activity and smoke.
Helicopters made water drops on the fire after filling up their buckets in the Colorado River.
Inside the fire zone there are concerns with 35 oil and gas wells.
"We had all the operators go in and shut off the wells. The fortunate thing is the wells are on pads, which in its own way, is defensible space, so that's less of a threat now," said U.S. Forest Service Sky Sieber.
