Single Publication

Lowline Fire Update

Location: 14 miles north northwest of Gunnison, Colorado, 11 miles southwest of Crested Butte, Colorado. Located on a ridge at 9400 ft. elevation between Squirrel and Mill Creeks, 3.5 miles west of County road #730, Ohio Pass road.

*Please note that yesterday’s release described the location of the Lowline Fire as north northeast of Gunnison in error. The correct fire location is north northwest of Gunnison.

Size: Approximately 681 acres

Cause: Lightning

Jurisdiction: USFS

Containment: 0%

Threatened Structures: 10

At approximately 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 26, the Lowline Fire was reported on the north aspect of a ridge between Squirrel and Mill Creeks in Gunnison County.

As of 10 p.m. last night, the fire was estimated at 681 acres in size by a Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control Multi-mission Aircraft infrared flight. Fire behavior today is expected to be similar to yesterday’s -- individual tree torching and creeping in spruce and aspen forest in the morning and fire activity picking up in the afternoon. Resources currently on scene include three engines, a heli-tack crew, smoke jumpers and three hand crews. Additional resources are ordered and en route. One, Type 2 helicopter and two, Type 1 (heavy lift) helicopters are assigned to the fire. A Complex Incident Management Team (IMT) will assume command at 6 p.m. this evening.

No containment has been achieved, at this time. The primary objective for responders and managers today is structure protection, integrating additional resources into the response effort, and transitioning to the Complex IMT.

Ten structures are threatened in the Mill Creek and Squirrel drainages, which are under mandatory evacuations. The National Forest System Trail #438-Lowline trail is closed. Forest closure updates will be posted on the GMUG Fire Information Facebook page. County roads #818 (Wiley Lane) and #730 (Ohio Pass road) are barricaded. In the interest of public safety, fire officials ask visitors to be aware of fire traffic and avoid the area. Firefighter and public safety are the priorities for this incident.

Fire Information Links:

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests Fire Information: (970) 874-6602

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cogmf-lowline-fire 

GMUG Fire Info Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GMUGFireInfo 

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests website: www.fs.usda.gov/gmug

West Slope Fire Information: www.WestSlopeFireInfo.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GMUG_NF

For information about evacuations:

Gunnison County Emergency Management: www.gunnisoncounty.org

For air quality information: 

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colo_advisory.aspx?county=gunnison