Colorado Politics

East Troublesome fire, No. 2 in Colorado history, fully contained

Nearly 50 days after Colorado’s second-largest wildfire on record ignited, officials say it is now fully contained.

In a social media post by the East Troublesome Fire information page, officials said the fire that had grown to 193,812 acres had been fully contained by fire crews Tuesday morning.

Despite the fire being fully contained, officials said some spots of heat remain present. 

“Pockets of isolated heat still exist, but are not expected to threaten containment lines,” the post read.

The East Troublesome Fire ignited as a small fire about 15 miles northeast of Kremmling.

After firefighters continuously battled the blaze for a week, the fire exploded over 130.000 acres in 24 hours as it expanded from 18,500 acres to 187,964 acres from Oct 21. through Oct 22, according to the fire incident management website. 

Red flag weather conditions mixed with dead and downed beetle-killed trees fueled the flames as it expanded throughout northern Colorado and torched more than 300 homes and at least 100 other secondary structures. 

A timely winter storm produced snow and lowered temperatures on the fire, which aided fire-fighters in containing the blaze. 

Lyle Hileman, 86 and his wife Marylin, were two casualties of the fire as they chose to remain in their home while the blaze expanded through their property.

Currently the largest wildfire in the state’s history, the Cameron Peak Fire has grown to 208,913 acres and is only 94% contained. 

On a hillside above Grand Lake, Colorado, the entire hillside was burned in the East Troublesome Fire. Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)
JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE
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