Yesterday Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin lifted the pre-evacuation notice for Aspen Canyon, Morgan Gulch, and Henderson areas, referred to as “Area 2” on the evacuation pre-planning maps.  The Sheriff’s Office also opened CR 3 (Ute Pass) from Highway 40 near Parshall to Highway 9 in Summit County.  CR 30 remains closed. The Forest Service closure area around the Williams Fork Fire remains - the closure prohibits all people not associated with the fire operations from entering the area by any means of transportation, including by foot.

The fire should remain fairly calm today as a passing cold front moves through. High humidity and cooler temperatures will help firefighters suppress the fire as they take advantage of favorable conditions. However, parts of the fire received sufficient rain that may create muddy conditions for heavy machinery moving on slick mountain roads.

Heavy equipment and crews are working along St. Louis Creek Road (FS 160) to thin live and dead timber to keep the fire from moving through the valley.  This work will take several days to finish.  Once complete, it will serve to protect the area east of the St. Louis Creek drainage and give firefighters a location to contain the fire, if necessary.  A combination of bulldozers, masticators and hand crews are constructing a fire line south of the communities of Tabernash and Fraser.  Along the west and southwest sections of the fire, firefighters continue to secure the fire line. Once complete, they will consider the area from Henderson Mill south to Darling Creek as contained.

Weather: Forecasted weather for today includes an additional chance of wetting rain.

Facebook Fire Update:  An operational fire update will be hosted on the @WilliamsForkFire Facebook page, live tonight at 5 p.m. Sunday evening will be the final live Facebook update unless fire conditions warrant additional live events.  Facebook updates will be closed captioned in real time through an online streaming text service for the deaf or hard of hearing populations. You do not have to have an account to view videos on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/williamsforkfire.

Evacuations: There are no evacuation orders in effect.  While not expected, fire conditions and the weather can change prompting new pre-evacuation and evacuation orders.  Any new orders will be shared through CodeRED and gcemergency.com. Residents and guests to the area can receive emergency notifications by signing up for CodeRED and downloading the mobile app to their phones. Area road closures are also listed on that web page.

Forest Closures: The U.S. Forest Service has a closure order in effect west of Winter Park and Fraser that includes roads, trails and campgrounds. All areas within the closure are closed. Please visit www.fs.usda.gov/arp for details. Visit https://cpw.state.co.us/ for updated information about hunting and wildlife.

Fire Restrictions: Stage 2 fire restrictions are in effect in Grand County.

Fire Preparedness: While the team cannot accept donations, there is something residents can do for the firefighters: remove overgrown vegetation around your homes and be prepared in the event an evacuation is ordered. Download a Grand County Ready, Set, GO! Action Guide or visit BeWildfireReady.org to learn how.

For official fire information, maps and photos, please visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6971/

###

Fire and agency officials met Thursday with Congressional members from Colorado and their staff to share an overview and hold discussions regarding the Williams Fork Fire. Each Congressional member extended appreciation of the work of firefighters and a broad dialogue of fire activity and suppression efforts occurred.  Representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, Grand County Sheriff’s Office, and the Great Basin Incident Management Team 2 participated in the presentation.

Overall fire activity and growth remained moderate as crews continued mop up activities near the burn area on the southwest portion of the fire.  Some hot spots along the burn area remain, but containment of the fire in this location is anticipated within the next several days.

Construction continues of fire line west of Fraser and south of the community of Tabernash, utilizing heavy equipment (such as bulldozers and masticators) as well as hand line completed by fire crews.  The purpose of these lines is to provide protection and confinement of the fire.

Additional heavy equipment continues to arrive on the fire and is put into service installing a fuel break along St. Louis Creek Road (FS 160) within the experimental forest. This work is designed to protect the area east of the St. Louis Creek drainage and provide confinement should the fire reach this location. While some trees are being thinned to widen the fuel break, crews are working closely with the Forest Service to ensure that these efforts achieve the desired effect while minimizing additional impacts to the area.

Weather: Forecasted weather for Friday includes a chance of wetting rain over parts of the fire and thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon.  Beginning Saturday, drier conditions are anticipated and will continue through next week.

Facebook Fire Update:  An operational fire update will be hosted on the @WilliamsForkFire Facebook page, live tonight at 5 p.m. This update will be closed captioned in real time through an online streaming text service for the deaf or hard of hearing populations. You do not have to have an account to view videos on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/williamsforkfire.

Evacuations: There are no evacuation orders for residential areas in the Fraser Valley. Residents and guests to the area can receive emergency notifications by signing up for CodeRED at gcemergency.com and downloading the mobile app to their phones. Area road closures are also listed on that web page.

Forest Closures: The U.S. Forest Service has a large closure area in effect west of Winter Park and Fraser that includes roads, trails and campgrounds. Please visit www.fs.usda.gov/arp for details. Visit https://cpw.state.co.us/ for updated information about hunting and wildlife.

Fire Restrictions: Stage 2 fire restrictions are in effect in Grand County. For official fire information, maps and photos, please visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6971/

Fire Prevention: While the team cannot accept donations of food and water, there is something that residents can do for the firefighters: remove hazardous fuels around their homes and be prepared in the event evacuations are ordered. Download a Grand County Ready, Set, GO! Action Guide or visit BeWildfireReady.org to learn how.

For official fire information, maps and photos, please visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6971/

###

Moderate weather conditions continued on Wednesday, allowing firefighters to make progress towards adding containment and implementing fire control measures.  While no measurable amount of precipitation was realized over the fire, the increased humidity assisted in tempering Wednesday’s fire behavior.   

Additional heavy equipment arrived to assist crews working on constructing fire line west of Fraser near the Beaver Mountain and Moose Run subdivision areas over the next several days.

Fire crews worked near the Williams Fork River along County Road 30 where burning operations were completed earlier this week. Although the burning at this location was completed on Tuesday, additional work is required to ensure the fire in this area is safe and contained. “Mop up” operations include looking for areas of heat near the fire line, extinguishing remaining fire and ensuring it will hold if tested by winds or other conditions.

Forecasted weather will be drier today with an isolated chance of thunderstorms. A general drying trend is anticipated and will continue into next week.

An operational fire update will be hosted on the @WilliamsForkFire Facebook page, live tonight at 5 p.m. A Colorado Parks and Wildlife representative will be joining the team via Zoom tonight. This update will be closed captioned in real time through and online streaming text service for the deaf or hard of hearing populations. You do not have to have an account to view videos on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/williamsforkfire.

Evacuations: There are no evacuation orders for residential areas in the Fraser Valley. Residents and guests to the area can receive emergency notifications by signing up for CodeRED at gcemergency.com and downloading the mobile app to their phones. Area road closures are also listed on that web page.

Smoke Advisory: Smoke from the Williams Fork Fire and smoke drifting into Grand County from fires further west continue to impact residents and visitors. Information about air quality advisories and health concerns related to wildfire smoke can be found at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/CentralColoradoFrontRange

Forest Closures: The U.S. Forest Service has a large closure area in effect west of Winter Park and Fraser that includes roads, trails and campgrounds. Please visit www.fs.usda.gov/arp for details. Visit https://cpw.state.co.us/ for updated information about hunting and wildlife.

Fire Restrictions: Stage 2 fire restrictions are in effect in Grand County. For official fire information, maps and photos, please visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6971/

Fire Prevention: While the team cannot accept donations of food and water, there is something that residents can do for the firefighters: remove hazardous fuels around their homes and be prepared in the event evacuations are ordered. Download a Grand County Ready, Set, GO! Action Guide or visit BeWildfireReady.org to learn how.

For official fire information, maps and photos, please visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6971/

###

Additional containment is expected over the next few days as fire crews successfully completed burning operations east of County Road 30.  These operations were accomplished both by ground and air.  Aerial ignitions were done utilizing a dispenser that launches small plastic spheres similar to ping pong balls through an opening in a helicopter. The spheres are filled with a chemical that reacts and ignites after a short delay. This type of ignition allows for burning or firing operations in terrain that may be difficult or unsafe for firefighters to reach by ground.  The planned ignitions are intended to burn in a more mosaic pattern and lower intensity than in an uncontrolled wildfire.  Firefighters will now continue to monitor the burn, putting out hot spots near the fire line.  Once the area is cool, it will provide a secure line of containment.  

In locations to the north and east of the fire, between surrounding communities, crews are working to provide control lines for confinement. Additional equipment and ground resources are arriving to the incident and will be utilized in these efforts during the next several days.  Fire crews are also working in the areas of the Bobtail Mine and Denver Water infrastructure to provide protection of these locations.

Weather conditions are forecasted to remain moderate over the fire area on Wednesday, with a chance of afternoon precipitation.

An operational fire update will be hosted on the @WilliamsForkFire Facebook page, live tonight at 5 p.m. Viewers can submit questions in real-time and the team, along with local public safety officials and U.S. Forest representatives will respond. You do not have to have an account to view videos on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/williamsforkfire.

Evacuations: There are no evacuation orders for residential areas in the Fraser Valley. Residents and guests to the area can receive emergency notifications by signing up for CodeRED at gcemergency.com and downloading the mobile app to their phones. Area road closures are also listed on that web page.

Smoke Advisory: Smoke from the Williams Fork Fire and smoke drifting into Grand County from fires further west continue to impact residents and visitors. Information about air quality advisories and health concerns related to wildfire smoke can be found at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/CentralColoradoFrontRange

Forest Closures: The U.S. Forest Service has a large closure area in effect west of Winter Park and Fraser that includes roads, trails and campgrounds. Please visit www.fs.usda.gov/arp for details.

Fire Restrictions: Due to statewide dry and drought conditions and significant fires burning across the state, the Governor Jared Polis has enacted a statewide ban on open burning. Stage 2 fire restrictions are in effect in Grand County.

For official fire information, maps and photos, please visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6971/

Fire Prevention: While the team cannot accept donations of food and water, there is something that residents can do for the firefighters: remove hazardous fuels around their homes and be prepared in the event evacuations are ordered. Download a Grand County Ready, Set, GO! Action Guide or visit BeWildfireReady.org to learn how.

 On Monday, fire crews continued efforts to establish containment along the Williams Fork River by burning remaining pockets of fuel between County Road 30 and the fire perimeter. A helicopter supported ground crews with aerial ignition. These actions were successful, but additional days of work will be necessary to provide for full containment along this area of the fire.
 
 In other areas of the fire, the Colorado National Guard assisted in support of fire suppression efforts through using two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and one CH-47 Chinook helicopter. These are equipped with buckets to drop water on areas of heat and help ground-based firefighters slow fire spread.Weather in the fire area yesterday was moderate, including some light rain and increased humidity. The increase in moisture is expected to continue through mid-week, with chances of wetting rain possible.
 
 An operational fire update will be hosted on the @WilliamsForkFire Facebook page, live tonight at 5 p.m. Viewers can submit questions in real-time and the team, along with local public safety officials and U.S. Forest representatives will respond. You do not have to have an account to view videos on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/williamsforkfire.
 
 Evacuations: There are no evacuation orders for residential areas in the Fraser Valley. Residents and guests to the area can receive emergency notifications by signing up for CodeRED at gcemergency.com and downloading the mobile app to their phones. Area road closures are also listed on that web page.
 
 Smoke Advisory: Smoke from the Williams Fork Fire and smoke drifting into Grand County from fires further west continue to impact residents and visitors. Information about air quality advisories and health concerns related to wildfire smoke can be found at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/CentralColoradoFrontRange
 
 Forest Closures: The U.S. Forest Service has a large closure area in effect west of Winter Park and Fraser that includes roads, trails and campgrounds. Please visit www.fs.usda.gov/arp for details.
 
 Fire Restrictions: Due to statewide dry and drought conditions and significant fires burning across the state, the Governor Jared Polis has enacted a statewide ban on open burning. Stage 2 fire restrictions are in effect in Grand County. For official fire information, maps and photos, please visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6971/
 
 Fire Prevention: While the team cannot accept donations of food and water, there is something that residents can do for the firefighters: remove hazardous fuels around their homes and be prepared in the event evacuations are ordered. Download a Grand County Ready, Set, GO! Action Guide or visit BeWildfireReady.org to learn how.
 
 For official fire information, maps and photos, please visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6971/
 
 ###

Despite increasing temperatures, the Williams Fork Fire experienced minor growth on Saturday, as other weather conditions allowed for only moderate fire activity.  Upslope runs and group torching of trees persist within the fire perimeter and backing of the fire along fire edges.    

Although similar conditions have existed since Thursday, fire officials remind individuals that the fire is anticipated to be on the landscape for a long duration of time.  This is due to the high amount of standing dead and downed timber, including beetle killed trees and extremely dry vegetation.   These fuels will continue to burn readily when weather conditions, including temperatures, humidity, and winds align, creating an ongoing challenge for fire suppression. The remote location and rugged terrain of the fire contribute to the complexity of accessing locations for containment.   

Fire crews continue to make progress in securing fire lines along the west and southwest of the fire, with additional containment anticipated soon.   Efforts to determine areas to confine the fire along the north and eastern portions continue. 

An operational fire update will be hosted on the @WilliamsForkFire Facebook page, live tonight at 5 p.m. Viewers can submit questions in real-time and the team, along with local public safety officials and U.S. Forest representatives will respond. You do not have to have an account to view videos on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/williamsforkfire. 

Evacuations: There are no evacuation orders for residential areas in the Fraser Valley. Residents and guests to the area can receive emergency notifications by signing up for CodeRED at gcemergency.com and downloading the mobile app to their phones. Area road closures are also listed on that web page.  

Forest Closures: The U.S. Forest Service has a large closure area in effect west of Winter Park and Fraser that includes roads, trails and campgrounds. Please visit www.fs.usda.gov/arp for details. 

Fire Restrictions: Due to statewide dry and drought conditions and significant fires burning across the state, the Governor Jared Polis has enacted a statewide ban on open burning. Stage 2 fire restrictions are in effect in Grand County.  

Fire Prevention: The Grand County Wildfire Council is a non-profit, community-based educational outreach program for the residents and visitors of Grand County, Colorado. It is made up of members from local, state, and federal government agencies, local fire departments, homeowner groups, local businesses, and concerned citizens. This is a good opportunity for residents of Grand County to prepare their homes and family now. Download a Grand County Ready, Set, GO! Action Guide for assistance or visit BeWildfireReady.org.  

Smoke Advisory: Smoke from the Williams Fork Fire and smoke drifting into Grand County from fires further west continue to impact residents and visitors. Information about air quality advisories and health concerns related to wildfire smoke can be found at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/CentralColoradoFrontRange 

Temporary Flight Restrictions: Temporary flight restrictions are in effect around the entire fire area. Remember that temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems (drones). If you fly, we can’t!  For official fire information, maps and photos, please visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6971/ 

### 

 An operational fire update will be hosted on the @WilliamsForkFire Facebook page, live tonight at 5 p.m. Viewers can submit questions in real-time and the team, along with local public safety officials and U.S. Forest representatives will respond. You do not have to have an account to view videos on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/williamsforkfire.

Weather conditions on Friday allowed for only minor growth of the Williams Fork Fire.  The favorable weather allowed fire crews to make additional progress in creating containment lines on the west and southwest portions of the fire. Crews used a combination of bulldozer line and hand line through the tough marshy terrain between Kinney Creek and Darling Creek on the north side of Williams Fork River. These efforts include clearing vegetation to stop progress of the fire and eventually create a secure containment line.

Along the other areas of the fire, personnel continue to look for opportunities to use natural and manmade features, such as roads, to provide future containment of the fire and protection of surrounding communities.

A drying trend with higher temperatures and low humidity is expected over the weekend with winds expected generally out of the north and northwest. Additional resources and personnel are arriving to assist in the continued effort of suppressing the fire.

An operational fire update will be hosted on the @WilliamsForkFire Facebook page, live tonight at 5 p.m. Viewers can submit questions in real-time and the team, along with local public safety officials and U.S. Forest representatives will respond. You do not have to have an account to view videos on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/williamsforkfire.

Evacuations: There are no evacuation orders for residential areas in the Fraser Valley. Residents and guests to the area can receive emergency notifications by signing up for CodeRED at gcemergency.com and downloading the mobile app to their phones. Area road closures are also listed on that web page.

Forest Closures: The U.S. Forest Service has a large closure area in effect west of Winter Park and Fraser that includes roads, trails and campgrounds. Please visit www.fs.usda.gov/arp for details.

Fire Restrictions: Due to statewide dry and drought conditions and significant fires burning across the state, the Governor Jared Polis has enacted a statewide ban on open burning. Stage 2 fire restrictions are in effect in Grand County.

Fire Prevention: The Grand County Wildfire Council is a non-profit, community-based educational outreach program for the residents and visitors of Grand County, Colorado. It is made up of members from local, state, and federal government agencies, local fire departments, homeowner groups, local businesses, and concerned citizens. This is a good opportunity for residents of Grand County to prepare their homes and family now. Download a Grand County Ready, Set, GO! Action Guide for assistance or visit BeWildfireReady.org.

Smoke Advisory: Smoke from the Williams Fork Fire and smoke drifting into Grand County from fires further west continues to impact residents and visitors. Information about air quality advisories and health concerns related to wildfire smoke can be found at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/air-quality-advisories.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: Temporary flight restrictions are in effect around the entire fire area. Remember that temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems (drones). If you fly, we can’t!   

For official fire information, maps and photos, please visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6971/

###

Driven by strong winds, low relative humidity and dead timber, the Williams Fork Fire grew 2,731 acres yesterday, spreading to the south and southeast. The wildfire remains three percent contained on its northwestern flank and is holding west of the Williams Fork River. The fire did not grow toward Fraser and Winter Park, which remain seven miles northeast of the fire at the nearest point. A series of rocky alpine ridges and peaks lie between the fire and the Fraser Valley.

Today’s focus is on holding and containing the south and southeast sides of the fire. A favorable weather forecast could help the effort by providing wetting rains, which would allow fire managers to strengthen and increase some containment lines. Warmer and drier weather conditions persist over the weekend, however, and will again promote potential fire spread.

Smoke drifting into Grand County, primarily from fires further west, continues to impact residents and visitors. Information about air quality advisories and health concerns related to wildfire smoke can be found at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/air-quality-advisories.

Due to statewide dry and drought conditions and significant fires burning across the state, the Governor Jared Polis has enacted a statewide ban on open burning.

An operational fire update will be hosted on the Williams Fork Fire Info Facebook page, live tonight at 5:00pm. Viewers can submit questions in real-time and the team will respond. You do not have to have an account to view videos on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/williamsforkfire.

Forest Closures: The U.S. Forest Service has a large closure area in effect west of Winter Park and Fraser that includes roads, trails and campgrounds. Please visit www.fs.udsa.gov/arp for details.

Evacuations: There are no evacuation orders for residential areas in the Fraser Valley. Residents and guests to the area can receive emergency notifications by signing up for CodeRED at www.gcemergency.com and downloading the mobile app to their phones.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: Temporary flight restrictions (TFR) are in effect around the entire fire area. Remember that temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems (drones). If you fly, we can’t!   

For official fire information, maps and photos, please visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6971/

###