DENVER — A fast-moving wildfire in western Colorado south of Parachute expanded to more than 3,000 acres Tuesday amid increasing winds, spreading into the White River National Forest and kicking out plumes of brown smoke as firefighters mobilized to try to stop it.
This Spring Creek fire, which started over the weekend, has spread rapidly across private land in Garfield County and into the forest, according to bulletins, a map and U.S. Forest Service officials coordinating suppression.
The cause wasn’t clear.
“Firefighters expect another day of active fire behavior,” Forest Service spokesman David Boyd said in a press release statement.
Federal officials in Colorado have ordered the deployment of firefighting helicopters and other aircraft to drop red fire retardant slurry ahead of flames, 25 firetrucks and more than 300 firefighters.
No evacuations had been ordered and no injuries were reported. Brown smoke wafting eastward from the area may be visible and reduce air quality.
Firefighting commanders appealed to residents and travelers, urging them to stay away from the burn zone, south of Interstate 70. In that area, Spring Creek Road and High Mesa Road were open only for local traffic, officials said, anticipating firefighting vehicles on the roads.
