Western Colorado Fire: South Shale Fire Grows to 43 Acres

Drivers traveling through De Beque Canyon may have noticed smoke rising from the hillsides west of town yesterday.

The South Shale Fire has grown from an initial estimate of four acres to 43 acres, prompting a significant response from wildland firefighting crews working in some of the most challenging terrain along the I-70 corridor.

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Above The Interstate West Of De Beque

The fire is burning on Bureau of Land Management land approximately 12 miles west of De Beque.

Lightning is believed to be the cause. The area saw significant thunderstorm activity over the past 24 hours, leading to several fire starts across western Colorado.

What makes this incident particularly difficult is the terrain. The steep slopes and rugged landscape above the Colorado River limit ground access, forcing crews to rely heavily on aircraft to move personnel and equipment into the area.

A Large Firefighting Response

Fire managers have assigned a wide range of resources to the South Shale Fire.

Two Type 2 helicopters, Single Engine Air Tankers, Large Air Tankers, an Air Attack platform, Smokejumpers, engine crews, and hand crews have all been involved in suppression efforts.

A specialized heli-rappel crew was inserted near the fire to construct a helicopter landing area that will allow additional firefighters to be safely transported into the incident.

Two Type 1 Interagency Hotshot Crews have also been ordered to assist with firefighting operations.

Visible From I-70

The South Shale Fire remains highly visible from Interstate 70 west of De Beque, drawing attention from travelers passing through the canyon.

Fire officials say there is no need for the public to report the incident, as crews continue active suppression efforts on the ground and in the air.

Additional updates are expected as firefighters gain better access to the fire area and continue assessing conditions in the days ahead.

Colorado Wildfire Damage by Year, Number of Fires + Acres Burned

Colorado has seen its fair share of wildfires over the years, but the numbers really start to tell the story when you look at them year by year.

From just a few thousand acres burned in the '90s to massive jumps in the 2000s, it’s clear something has changed.

We dug into the data to see which years were the worst and how things have shifted across the state.

Gallery Credit: Tim Gray

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