GARFIELD COUNTY, Colo. — A fire in the Grass Mesa area of Garfield County has forced evacuations in some neighborhoods south of Rifle, authorities said Tuesday afternoon.
The Garfield County Sheriff's Office said the fire is near Gage Road, just south of Rifle. All homes in the following areas have been told to evacuate:
- From Grass Mesa Road north to Gage Road
- On Sunset Lane
- North of milemarker 1 on Gage Road
All evacuated residents can go to the Garfield County Fairgrounds, the sheriff's office said. A pre-evacuation notice has gone out to residents on Grass Mesa south of Rodeo Drive and Coyote Trail.
The National Interagency Fire Center is reporting that this fire is 287 acres and 0% contained as of 5:40 p.m. They say the fire is called the Dry Creek Fire.
Multiple helicopters and planes are working to contain the fire from the air.
The fire reportedly started in or on a structure, according to Colorado River Fire Rescue. It then spread to nearby vegetation.
Other structures and "gas infrastructures" are threatened, Colorado River Fire Rescue said.
Several counties on the west side of the state are under an air quality health advisory for wildfire smoke due to fires burning outside of Colorado. This includes Garfield County, as well as Mesa, Montrose, Delta, San Miguel, Dolores, Ouray, San Juan, Hinsdale, Mineral, Gunnison, Montezuma, La Plata, Archuleta, Saguache, Rio Grande and Conejos counties. This is in place until 9 a.m. Wednesday.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
