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GRANBY, Colo. –  The Devil's Thumb Fire, that has been burning in the Indian Peaks Wilderness since July 4 after a lightning strike started the fire, is now 76 percent contained. Whenever a wildfire is not 100% contained, there always remains the potential for growth. This is the case on the east side of the Devil’s Thumb Fire where there are challenges for suppression activities due to higher risks for firefighters. The safety and well-being of the community and firefighters remains the top priority. Due to the difficult terrain and abundance of fuels, fully suppressing this fire will take time. 

Activity continues around the fire area as firefighters begin removing hoses, pumps, and weather stations. Some of the equipment will be removed with the assistance of the Type 2 helicopter to fly out heavier items. The Unmanned Aircraft System will utilize Infrared Thermal Imaging (IR) to look for any residual heat within the fire perimeter. The percentage of containment is predicted to increase as the area moves into more moderate weather conditions today and Saturday. Whenever there is active wildfire, residents and visitors are encouraged to remain informed, prepared, and vigilant. More information can be found at www.BeWildfireReady.org and www.fs.usda.gov.

The rain that fell over the past few days has helped extinguish residual heat and reduced fire behavior within the fire perimeter as well as along the line. Due to the increased moisture in the area, the Type 3 Team has decided to transfer management of the fire to a local Type 4 Incident Commander. The incident commander, Ty Gripp, will take over the management of the Devil's Thumb Fire on July 21, 2023. The Arapaho-Roosevelt Type 3 Team thanks the local agencies, businesses and communities for their support and cooperation during their time in Grand County.

Continue to check InciWeb for updates at CO-ARF Devil's Thumb Fire Information | InciWeb (wildfire.gov).