Colorado Parks and Wildlife has shut down all public access and recreation on a stretch of the Colorado River as crews battle the Snyder Fire near Grand Junction.
The emergency closure took effect immediately and covers the river from James M. Robb-Colorado River State Park in Fruita downstream to the Utah state line. CPW issued the order in coordination with the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office as firefighters work to contain the blaze amid high fire-weather danger that officials say could fuel rapid spread.
All boating and floating activity is banned in the closed zone. That includes jet boats, rafting, kayaking, canoeing, tubing and paddleboarding. Anyone already on the river is being told to pull out in Grand Junction at the Blue Heron boat launch or end their trip farther upstream.
Everything above Fruita remains open to the public. CPW says the closure is expected to stay in place through the Fourth of July weekend.
Officials are asking river users to stay out of the area, both for their own safety and to avoid interfering with firefighters and emergency crews on the ground. Anyone caught entering the closed zone could face fines, citations or trespassing charges. CPW also reminded the public that Horsethief State Wildlife Area and Loma Boat Launch State Wildlife Area remain closed.
According to Colorado Public Radio, around 120 boaters and half a dozen dogs were rescued from the Colorado River in the area that runs between the Loma Boat Launch and Westwater, Utah, on Satu2rday, June 27th.
The Bureau of Land Management’s Grand Junction Field Office has also closed all BLM-managed public lands within the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, effective immediately, as the fire response continues. As of Monday evening, the Snyder Fire had grown to 30,163 acres.