More evacuations issued as Gold Mountain Fire continues to grow in southwestern Colorado
More evacuations were ordered for Gunnison and Montrose counties on Monday in connection with the Gold Mountain Fire burning in southwestern Colorado. According to fire officials, the changes in evacuation statuses are in anticipation of potential fire growth from forecasted thunderstorms and wind gusts.
Gunnison County Emergency Management posted on Facebook that the Gunnison County Sheriff had ordered a mandatory evacuation for Zone 32 and a voluntary evacuation for Zone 33.
Zone 32 is in southwest Gunnison County and in the area south of Storm King, east of Cimmaron Ridge to County Rd 864A in the Cimmaron Valley to the US Forest Service boundary. This includes the Bear Claw, Silver Jack, Eagle's Rest, and Little Bighorn subdivisions. An evacuation shelter has been set up at the Ridgway Secondary School located at 1200 Green Street in Ridgway.
On the map below, Zone 33 is the farther east yellow zone and Zone 32 is in the pink zone immediately to its left.
The Gold Mountain Fire has consumed more than 27,698 acres in Ouray County since it sparked on June 27. There is a 3% containment as of Monday afternoon with 824 personnel fighting the fire.
The fire is burning in higher elevations in the grass and shrubs, and in the lower elevations with grass and pinon/juniper fuels. A large component of the fire is burning in the Uncompahgre Wilderness Area, with vegetation that has not burned in over 50 years, including mixed conifer stands.
Buckhorn Lakes and the Cimarron State Wildlife Area in Montrose County have been closed due to the wildfire.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined.
