Garfield County Declares Emergency Over Grizzly Creek Fire, Pine Gulch Fire
GARFIELD COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- Garfield County declared an emergency over two large wildfires burning in the area on Thursday. The declaration allows the county to receive federal aid and assistance to fight the fires.
The Grizzly Creek and Pine Gulch Fires have burned a combined 75,000 acres. The Grizzly Creek Fire burning in Glenwood Canyon has consumed more than 6,200 acres as of Thursday afternoon. The Pine Gulch Fire has burned more than 68,000 acres north of Grand Junction and is among the largest in Colorado history.
According to Garfield County, continued hot and dry weather conditions are forecast along with high winds, which creates the potential for the spread of the wildfires.
The disaster declaration reads that fires constitute a "local disaster emergency that warrants the mobilization of emergency response and the furnishing of aid and assistance."
The Board of County Commissioners will ratify the resolution at the regular BOCC meeting on Aug. 17.
Garfield County said "The declaration is necessary to ensure the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Garfield County, and will be in effect for seven days, after which it can be continued or renewed."
