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Firefighters Get Better Containment On Red Canyon Fire

Red Canyon Fire
(credit: CBS)

CARBONDALE, Colo. (CBS4) - Firefighters say they have made good progress on the Red Canyon Fire on the Western Slope and they are scaling back their aerial attack plans somewhat.

red canyon fire
(credit: CBS)

Better mapping showed the fire southeast of Glenwood Springs and northeast of Carbondale is approximately 390 acres in size. The latest report from officials in charge of the firefight is that the blaze is 27 percent contained.

On Wednesday firefighting planes weren't able to fly due to dangerous wind conditions but two helicopters were making water drops on the fire with water from a nearby sod farm.

Those drops were continuing Thursday, but fire information officer Bill Kight told CBS4 they don't plan to the the larger aerial tankers that are stationed at the scene at this time.

Kight said weather conditions -- cooler temps and more humidity -- have helped firefighters get better containment on the blaze. They are hoping to have even more containment on the fire in advance of the hotter temperatures and drier conditions that are forecast for the weekend.

Approximately 20 houses are on mandatory evacuation orders because of the fire.

Lightning is believed to be the cause of the fire.

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