RIO BLANCO COUNTY, Colo. — A new wildfire burning 14 miles north of Rangely forced residents in the area to prepare for a possible evacuation Monday.
Residents in seven homes received an alert for pre-evacuation due to the nearby fire, called the Skull Creek Fire.
The blaze is currently burning about 14 miles north of Rangely near the Skull Creek Community in Moffat County and is threatening 20 structures, according to the Rio Blanco County Sheriff's Office.
As of Monday evening, the fire had grown to 82 acres, according to the sheriff's office. It is mostly burning on Bureau of Land Management land. A few acres are on private property.
Several agencies are responding to the fire, including the BLM, National Parks Service, Forest Service, Colorado Division of Fire Protection and Control, Moffat County Sheriff’s Office, Moffat County Road and Bridge, and the Artesia Fire Protection District.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
