West Fire

West Fire Update
Friday, June 25, 2021, 9:00 a.m.

Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team Black
Troy Hagan, Incident Commander 

Containment Increases on West Fire 

Current Situation: On Thursday, the West Fire grew to 3,421 acres and containment increased to 50%.  Despite the fire receiving some rain yesterday, firefighters were still able to conduct a small firing operation on the northwest edge of the fire.  The increase in the fire size was due to this firing operation. Firefighters working on other areas of the fire’s perimeter mopped up hotspots near the established fire lines to further secure the fire’s edge. 
Today, crews will continue securing and strengthening fire lines on all sides of the fire. Unburned fuel inside containment lines is expected to smolder through the day, producing visible smoke as interior pockets of fuel continue to burn inside established fire lines. 
 
Weather & Fuel Conditions: Friday’s weather over the West Fire is expected to be similar to Thursday with partly scattered showers in the morning and scattered thunderstorms in the early afternoon. Chances of rain will remain high, and temperatures will remain cooler through the weekend. Temperatures today are expected to be 55-63º in the fire area and a minimum humidity of 43%. West winds are forecasted to be 10-15 mph with gusts of 25 mph. Cloud cover, higher humidity, and lower temperatures are again expected to contribute to moderated fire behavior today. 

Closures and Evacuations: Moffat County Sheriff’s Office has closed portions of Moffat County Roads 72 and 10N in the fire area for the protection of the public and fire personnel.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: Temporary Flight Restrictions are in place over the West Fire. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Whenever a drone is spotted near the fire, all aircraft will be grounded until the drone is confirmed as clear of the area. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org. 

Fire Restrictions: Stage 2 fire restrictions went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, June 25 for all BLM lands in northwest Colorado and for all unincorporated private and state lands in Moffat County. For more information on BLM fire restrictions, please visit https://go.usa.gov/x6VPj. For more information on Moffat County fire restrictions, please visit https://tinyurl.com/yt9chu3w. 

West Fire Statistics: 
Size: 3,421 acres 
Containment: 50% 
Location: 80 miles northwest of Craig, CO 
Reported: June 20, 12:18 p.m. 
Cause: Lightning 

For More Information: 
 Fire Information Office: (970) 329-2216 
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7574/ 
Facebook: @BLMColoradoFire 
Twitter: @BLMColoradoFire 
Email: 2021.West@firenet.gov