BEULAH, Colo. — The Oak Ridge Fire burning near Beulah has grown to 1,191 acres in size, but fire officials said Tuesday night they expect the blaze to grow to around 6,500 acres in the coming days.
The lightning-caused fire was reported on June 22 and is burning three miles northwest of Beulah in southern Colorado. It is 9% contained, according to Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 3.
On Tuesday night, fire officials said during a community meeting they were working to assess the need for what they called “strategic firing operations” on portions of the fire, which would make it grow to nearly 7,000 acres in size.
“Strategic firing operations are a slow, intentional way to put fire on the landscape and is a commonly used tool which ultimately builds and repairs forest, water shed, and landscape health,” fire officials said in a news release.
They said those operations will be done in small sections, which will ultimately help firefighters reach containment of the blaze faster and safer.
“Additionally, with firing operations, wildlife is familiar and comfortable with fire, so long as it is not fast-moving and so hot that it ‘nukes’ the ground and everything around it,” fire officials said. “Good fires prevent bad ones and help the landscape AND wildlife.”
Residents near the area can expect to see increased smoke from time to time due to these strategic operations.
Firefighters said isolated to scattered showers will move in from the west and will be over the fire through 5 p.m. Wednesday, with winds coming from the northeast between three and eight miles per hour.
People in Middle Creek Canyon Road, Vine Mesa, Cascade Avenue, Pine Avenue and Beulah Highlands Road are under a pre-evacuation order and should be ready to leave at a moment's notice. For all evacuation information, click here.
For more about the Oak Ridge Fire, call 719-315-1536 or email 2024.oakridge@firenet.gov.
