Updated at 6:08 p.m. on Monday, July 14, 2025.
Several wildfires on the Western Slope continue to rage while more hot, dry and windy weather could complicate efforts to contain them.
South Rim Fire
The South Rim Fire at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park increased to 3,633 acres overnight and is zero percent contained, according to Bethany Urban with the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center, which is managing the fire.
The fire grew significantly overnight on its northwest side, driven by 40 mph wind gusts and fueled by both dry grasses and “live fuels,” such as dead dried-out trees and brush.
As the fuel lower in the lower part of the steep canyon burns, dried wood and debris from above is rolling down, which then feeds the fire upwards, according to Urban.
“So you get this pattern of a burning material rolling downhill, sending fire burning back up the hill,” Urban said. “[The fire] goes down, it goes up … that’s kind of how this fire is behaving right now.”
Around 309 people are working on the fire, supported by several aircraft, bulldozers, water tankers and fire engines from around Colorado and nearby states. More support equipment and personnel are expected Tuesday.
Evacuation orders remain in effect for six zones, according to RMACC, including the Bostwick Park community, as well as for residences on M73, N73, N74 and O74 roads. An updated evacuation map is expected this afternoon, according to Urban. It’s unclear how many people are under evacuation.
A spokesperson for Montrose County did not return a request for comment.
Conditions aren’t likely to improve for fire crews. More dry, hot days with temperatures in the 90s, coupled with low humidity, are expected. That heat dries out vegetation during the day, priming it to burn at night. Lightning is also likely this week, risking starting more hot spots.
“Fuels are dry, conditions are dry, fuels are very receptive to burning,” Urban said.
Highway 50 near the park is open as of 1 p.m. Monday. Travelers are encouraged to check www.COtrip.org for up-to-date road closures.
The response has so far cost $3.6 million, according to RMACC.
Sowbelly Fire
The Sowbelly Fire continues to burn in the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area with zero percent containment. The fire spread from the northeast on Sunday.
According to BLM Colorado, 73 firefighters are on the scene. They are working to secure the fire along the rim of Escalante Canyon, creating fuel breaks and clearing roadways to access the fire.
Officials have launched a website with updates on the Sowbelly and South Rim fires.
Airport Fire/Louviers Fire
The roughly 136-acre vegetation fire north of Louviers, just south of Denver, is now 90 percent contained, according to South Metro Fire Rescue, which is helping coordinate the response.
The fire started Sunday afternoon south of Chatfield State Park, and an evacuation order was in effect for a few hours for Louviers, according to authorities.
The cause of the fire is still undetermined and under investigation by the South Metro Fire Rescue. Public information officer Brian Willie confirmed there were several small hotspot fires along the railroad tracks and a train was in the area when the fire started.
The fire burned through a forested area filled with cottonwoods and divided by cattle fencing, according to Daniel Carlin, a public information officer for Douglas County. Hand crews, trucks and bulldozers went off-road to get to the fire’s edge.
Douglas County has an exclusive use contract for a firefighting helicopter, which conducted 88 water drops on the fire, which is roughly 26,400 gallons of water, according to Carlin. He said the helicopter was essential to quickly containing the fire by giving crews more time to cut through the forest.
“Because of where the fire started and the terrain that was so difficult to get to on foot and by vehicle, it would’ve spread and potentially burned all of Louviers, if not more,” Carlin said.
“Without this helicopter, who knows how bad it could have gotten,” he added.
BNSF, a railway that uses the tracks near the fire, sent a “fire train” from Kansas to help put out hotspot fires along the tracks. South Metro said it was working to fully contain the fire by Monday evening.
Turner Gulch and Wright Draw fires
The Turner Gulch Fire in Mesa County doubled in size overnight to 1,470 acres.
On Monday morning, the Mesa County Sheriff’s office expanded evacuation orders to all private land and areas along Highway 141 between mile markers 124 and 128 in Gateway.
Hwy 141 is closed from mile marker 120 to 124 due to fire activity. Officials are asking the public to avoid the entire area.
Officials have set up an evacuation center at the Clifton Community Campus in Clifton.
The nearby Wright Draw Fire is 263 acres.
According to the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit, more than 200 firefighters are working the fire, and they expect more resources to arrive in the coming days.
Air quality alerts remain in effect for the entire Western Slope on Monday.
CPR News' Tegan Wendland contributed reporting.
