Grand County’s Black Mountain Fire Is Almost Fully Contained

Since it began on August 29, the Black Mountain Fire has burned over 400 acres in Grand County Colorado.

Earlier this month, firefighters could not contain the blaze, which started after a lightning strike. Thankfully, that has changed — as of Monday (Sept. 13), the Incident Information System (InciWeb) reports that the fire is now 91% contained.

"The added containment is on the west edge, where for several days, firefighters have methodically been clearing debris, putting out hot spots, and carefully checking for heat," reads the InciWeb report. "The one remaining section of uncontained edge is located on the southeast 'finger' of the fire. Fire has been minimal near that edge, but there are some hotspots."

Get our free mobile app

Firefighters cannot currently access the edge, as its steep and rocky conditions are unsafe to navigate; however, crews will manage the edge with helicopter water drops until they can access it safely.

A local Type 4 Team will take over fighting the fire — which is burning at 418 acres — on Tuesday (Sept. 14). The report noted that the new team "will not stop until 100% containment is reached."

As the new team moves in, officials are expecting to see rain showers in the morning, followed by "erratic, gusty winds" and thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Currently, Grand County is under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, and two rural areas near Parshall are under pre-evacuation status. Denver7 reports that the fire has not yet reached the East Troublesome Fire scar.

Stay up to date with the Black Mountain Fire by following their Facebook page or by signing up for Grand County's emergency alerts here.