August 4, 4:24 UPDATE: According to an official press release from Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District the fire is now 100% contained. Firefighters will continue to patrol the area over the next few days to catch any remaining hot spots or flare ups.
August 4, 3:31 UPDATE: Officials now estimate the fire at 107 acres and 20% contained.
Published 2:40 pm August 4: At roughly 11am on Sunday Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection responded to reports of a wildland fire in the Missouri Heights area. The fire spread rapidly through the underbrush near Red Canyon Road and Coulter Creek Road area. The blaze forced residents east of County Road 100, Ranch at Coulter Creek, and the Panorama subdivision to evacuate to Roaring Fork High School the same afternoon.
Ground and air resources converged on the scene to try and extinguish the blaze, but by 2:40 pm Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection announced the blaze had reached 80 acres, and by 6 pm it spread to 115. The evacuation order lifted that same day, roughly six hours after the fire started.
Firefighters on the scene today (Monday, August 4) are constructing containment lines and cold trailing the fire to ensure no hot spots are overlooked. The fire is currently 20% contained thanks to aggressive tactics from ground and aerial response. County Road 113 remains closed between County Road 100 and County Road 121 but is expected to reopen later today.
Updates from first responders are available here.
