PARK COUNTY, Colo. — The Shawnee Peak Fire, which is burning a few miles southwest of Bailey, reached 40 acres Monday evening.
The fire was first reported at 3:15 p.m. Monday in a remote area of the Lost Creek Wilderness, roughly five or six miles southwest of the town of Bailey and east of Kenosha Pass. The Park County Sheriff’s Office blocked all roads leading to the area that was burning, but those were back open by Tuesday morning.
Fire officials with the Pike and San Isabel National Forests Cimarron & Comanche National Grasslands (PSICC) said the following trail heads have been closed:
· Ben Tyler
· Brookside Payne Creek
· North Fork
· Long Gulch
· Rock Creek
As of 6 p.m., the fire was 0% contained.
#ShawneePeakFire 11pm update. Fire is currently 40 acres, additional crews and aircraft to arrive tomorrow. New video upload of today's aerial recon flight. https://t.co/HnaSXQZMEZ pic.twitter.com/w2whhXmpMn
— USFS_Pike&San Isabel (@PSICC_NF) August 27, 2019
Additional fire crews and helicopters will come in Tuesday to help with suppression efforts. PSICC said firefighters will begin fire suppression Tuesday using the landscape's natural features in an effort to minimize damaging the area further. Crews will also assess homes in the area for possible fire risk.
Officials said the area where the fire is burning is steep and rugged.
As of Tuesday morning, it was unclear how the fire started.
This is a developing story and will be updated throughout the day.
