The U.S. Forest Service this afternoon expanded the closure area in the Uncompahgre National Forest east of Ridgway, as the Gold Mountain Fire makes another big run.
The original closure largely encompassed the forest east and northeast of Ridgway, but the expanded closure announced at 3:30 p.m. includes areas further to the south, closer to Ouray.
The expanded closure area includes national forest land southeast of Ridgway, east of U.S. Highway 550 and the city of Ouray, south of U.S. Highway 50 and west of Lake City. The area extends across the Uncompahgre Wilderness toward the Little Cimarron Drainage and Uncompahgre Peak, reaching north to the Big Blue Creek ridgeline before returning west along the forest boundary toward Dexter Creek Road, according to an announcement from the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests’ Ouray Ranger District.
The closure area now includes:
• Alpine/Little Cimarron Trailhead
• Beaver Lake Campground and fishing site
• Big Cimarron Campground
• Clear Lake/Rowdy Lake Trailhead
• Courthouse Trailhead
• Cutler Creek Trailhead
• Dexter Creek
• East Fork Cimarron Trailhead and Dispersed Camping Area
• Fall Creek Trailhead
• Horsethief Trailhead
• Jackson Guard Station
• Middle Fork Cimarron Trailhead and Dispersed Camping Area
• Silver Jack Boat Ramp
• Vista Point Trailhead
• West Fork Cimarron Trailhead and Dispersed Camping Area
Officials with the incident management team battling the blaze cautioned this morning the fire would pick up in intensity today, and that’s proven true. Multiple, dark plumes of smoke have soared into the sky east of Ridgway this afternoon, as temperatures and wind gusts have increased.
