Oil and gas fields potentially threatened by wildfires

PARACHUTE (AP) - Wildfires near oil and gas drilling operations are raising concerns.

The Cottonwood Creek fire near Parachute last week burned within 200 yards of gas wells.

It was a stark reminder that the proliferation of mountain hideaway homes isn't the only booming development that's added to the challenge of wild land firefighting in recent years.

Western Colorado's energy industry has set up natural gas wells and pipelines in many remote areas where wildfires are a threat.

Bill Hahnenberg, fire manager for the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit, says there are not a lot of rules yet on how to deal with this threat.