PARACHUTE, Colo. — Firefighters are working to mop up and extinguish hot spots at a brush fire that broke out Tuesday near Interstate 70 southwest of Parachute.
The Parachute Police Department said at 8:09 p.m. Tuesday that a new fire had broken out around milemarker 70 on I-70. About an hour later, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) closed the eastbound lanes of I-70 from Debeque to West Parachute. Around 10:15 p.m., CDOT was able to reopen the left lane. Westbound lanes stayed open.
On Wednesday morning, the police department said things looked a lot better. Crews were in the mopping up stage and working to locate any remaining hotspots along the northern edge.
One outbuilding and a gazebo were damaged by the fire, but no other structures were damaged.
Specific information on the size and cause of the fire or possible evacuations is not yet available.
As of 10 a.m., crews with Grand Valley Fire Protection District, DeBeque Fire Protection District and the Bureau of Land Management Fire are at the scene.
This is separate from the Spring Creek Fire, which is burning south of Parachute. As of the last available update on July 19, that fire is 3,256 acres and 72% contained.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
