JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — The Goltra Fire grew "significantly" overnight and jumped to 198 acres, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) said Wednesday morning.
Additional resources — 75 firefighters and two helicopters — were ordered, the JCSO said Wednesday morning, and US Highway 6 remained shut down in both directions.
Watch a timelapse of the fire burning on Tuesday evening below.
When there were multiple large wildfires burning across the Front Range at the start of the month, firefighters were competing for resources. But the JCSO said Wednesday that's no longer the case, which is good news for those fighting the Goltra Fire.
There were still no evacuations ordered or structures threatened, JCSO said in its news conference Wednesday morning, but the biggest threat is intense winds.
The fire burning near Clear Creek Canyon in Jefferson County was first reported around 4 p.m. Tuesday near Tunnel 1 in the canyon. In an update at 7:46 p.m., the JCSO said the fire was “guess-timated” to be 10 acres.
Smoke from the Goltra Fire was visible from the Denver area Tuesday afternoon and evening, including from Alumni Field at Marv Kay Stadium at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden.
In a subsequent update at 10:30 p.m., the JCSO said evening down-canyon winds caused "some erratic fire behavior." Highway 6 and travel along the canyon were both closed until further notice, the sheriff's office said.
Lightning is suspected of starting the fire, the JCSO said Tuesday night.
Interstate 70 and Highway 93 are both open, according to Denver7 Traffic Jayson Luber, and are good alternative routes.
Wildfires are now a year-round threat in Colorado. Denver7 is committed to covering their impact and the people working to find solutions to the threat.