Colorado Governor Jared Polis has verbally declared a disaster in response to fires in Montrose, Delta, and Mesa Counties stemming from one weather event that occurred on Thursday, July 10th.
The disaster declaration activates the State Emergency Operations and Resource Mobilization Plans. The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) coordinates a state response through the State Emergency Operations Center.
Field operations staff will be deployed to support county emergency managers with consequence management while the Division of Fire Prevention and Control continues to lead the incident management and suppression efforts along side other Colorado Department of Public Safety Divisions.
The largest active wildfire in Colorado has closed Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. As of last update, the South Rim Fire has grown to 3,633 acres. Caused by a lightning strike, 190 personnel are working to fight the fire. Highway 347 is closed at the junction of Highway 50 and the Bostwick Park community in Montrose County is under an evacuation notice.
