Haze From Wildfire On Western Slope Moves Into Denver Metro Area

By Ben Warwick

DENVER (CBS4) – Shifting wind is blowing smoke and haze from the Lost Solar Fire into the Denver metro area.

The fire, which currently burning near Meeker on Colorado's Western Slope, was active on Thursday and poured smoke into Garfield, Rio Blanco, and Eagle counties. Haze could be seen as far away as Aurora.

The fire is currently estimated at 2,000 acres, but according to Garfield County Sheriff Walter Stowe, is still burning well within the management boundary in the Flat Tops Wilderness.

Officials with the Elk Creek Fire Department told CBS4 numerous searches and U.S. Forest Service flyovers have fire crews confident there is no fire coming from immediately west of Denver.

Fire crews are letting the fire take a natural course, due to its remote location.

Investigators say they suspect the fire was not human-caused.

Anyone with information on the Lost Solar Fire is asked to call the Blanco Ranger District at 970-878-4039.

Wildfire Resources

- Visit CBSDenver.com's Living With Wildfire section.

Wildfire Photo Galleries

- See images from the most destructive wildfires (Black Forest, Waldo Canyon, High Park and Fourmile) and largest wildfire (Hayman) in Colorado history.