MESA COUNTY, Colo. — More residents living near the Pine Gulch Fire, burning 18 miles north of Grand Junction, are being told to be ready to leave their homes.
Tuesday night, Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario announced the expanded pre-evacuation notices after a spot fire in the northeast corner of the blaze quickly spread.
People who live in the areas of County Road 205, Kimball Mountain Road and CR 256 in between Kimball Mountain road and Browns Point have been told to be ready to evacuate their homes.
On Monday, some evacuation orders for the fire, which has grown to be the fourth-largest in state history, were lifted.
Evacuations have been lifted for people on Roan Creek Road (204) to Brush Creek Road (209), Vallario said. He said the exact time people can return home is dependent on when the power company can ensure the lines are safe.
There are still evacuations off of Clear Creek (211) Road, Carr Creek (207) Road, as well as County Road 202.
The Pine Gulch Fire has grown to 87,209 acres and remained 7% contained as of Tuesday morning.
Areas of heavy smoke were observed Monday across portions of central and western Colorado due to the fire.
The three largest fires in state history are the Hayman Fire in 2002 which burned 137,760 acres, the Spring Creek Fire in 2018 which burned 108,045 acres and the High Park Fire in 2012 which burned 87,284 acres, the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center said.
The Pine Gulch Fire was sparked by lightning on Friday, July 31 and is located located in Mesa and Garfield Counties in western Colorado.
The fire is burning in remote, rough terrain, in pinyon, juniper, oak, and sage brush, according to the Grand Junction Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management.
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