GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. – A wildfire burning near west Glenwood Springs shut down a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 70 for more than four hours Wednesday.
Just before 4 p.m. Colorado State Patrol closed westbound I-70 at mile marker 133 in Dotsero because of the fire. The eastbound lanes were closed at mile marker 109, at Canyon Creek west of Glenwood Springs, but reopened just after 6 p.m. The westbound closure, which extended the full stretch between the two mile markers, had reopened by 8:30 p.m.
CSP and other local authorities reported the fire started in South Canyon just west of the city and that western Glenwood Springs was on pre-evacuation orders. The Glenwood Springs Fire Department said Ami's Acres was under pre-evacuation orders.
The fire department said the fire was estimated as being 35-40 acres in size around 4:30 p.m. It's unclear if the blaze had grown in size by the evening, but officials said by about 8:45 p.m. that the firer was 25% contained.
Interstate 70 closed both directions, for large wild fire. Westbound at Dotsero( exit 133) Eastbound at Canyon creek. (Exit 109). Unknown time of closure. Several air resources on scene. pic.twitter.com/4E2xYCUmJr
— CSP Eagle (@CSP_Eagle) August 5, 2020
Officials also said the fire was human caused and was accidental in nature.
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