DENVER — Denver7 is now hearing from one of the firefighters on the front lines of the South Rim Fire in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park on Colorado's Western Slope.
The wildfire has burned through more than 4,200 acres, as of Monday morning, and is 41% contained. Most of the Western Slope is under extreme or severe drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Right now, there are more than 380 people assigned to fighting this fire.
David Vitwar, with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, was deployed for 12 days as a safety officer and shared with Denver7 about the difficult conditions.
“When we got there, it had burned across the top of the mesa and down into the South Rim,” Vitwar said. “Which then made it difficult for firefighters to get to. It's very steep, very cliff like, and so we made the risk decision not to go into the rim.”
At least four wildfires across Colorado, including the South Rim Fire, were sparked by lightning from one single weather event on July 10. No lives have been lost, but several structures, including national park infrastructure, have been damaged or destroyed.
Firefighters worked to protect key assets on either end of the South Rim Fire, according to Vitwar, including homes and ranches on the west end and the Crystal Dam on the east end.
“That moves water into that Uncompaghre Valley and provides about 80,000 acres with irrigation water," Vitwar said. "So, if we had, you know, burned up the hillside with great intensity, the amount of sediment that would wash into that would disrupt that, so we would be disrupting agriculture on the western slope for a great number of people, the power that's generated out of the Crystal Dam and the power line infrastructure that comes out of the dam.”
Gov. Jared Polis verbally declared a disaster declaration for the fires on July 13 to free up state and federal resources.
The north rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is expected to reopen to the public on Wednesday.
Related coverage:
- Colorado wildfires: New fire flares up near Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- North rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison to reopen on July 30 after wildfire forced closure
- Here's how crews are battling each of Colorado's 4 wildfires burning Thursday
- Several lightning-sparked fires burning on Western Slope; Polis declares disaster declaration
- Evacuations underway at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park after lightning strikes spark fires
