MEEKER, Colo. – A wildfire ignited by lightning in northwestern Colorado grew to over 1,000 acres Friday.
Strong, erratic afternoon winds from thunderstorms in the area are to blame for its exponential growth, officials with the Bureau of Land Management said in a news release.
“Firefighters are focusing efforts on where they can safely and effectively engage the fire,” said BLM spokesperson David Boyd. “Firefighters were able to keep the fire from reaching several structures on private property this afternoon, and no structures are immediately threatened.”
The fire is burning on Bureau of Land Management-administered public land about 26 miles southwest of Meeker in Rio Blanco County.
Firefighters and the Rio Blanco Sheriff’s Office are asking people to stay away from the area, which includes Hunter Creek, Willow Creek, and Big Jimmy Gulch.