No Growth in Bull Gulch Fire, Now 5% Contained Smoke in Area Largely From Other Fires
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CANON CITY, Colo. – Air and ground crews made good progress in fighting the Bull Gulch Fire today and no significant growth in the fire was reported. Containment is now at five percent. Late this afternoon the total size of the fire was estimated at 150 acres, unchanged from this morning. The fire is located nine miles northeast of Cotopaxi in Fremont County. It is burning in brush, pinon, juniper and ponderosa pine forests. A Very Large Air Tanker (VLAT) made a drop on the fire this morning and three helicopters made water drops throughout the day. Ninety-eight personnel are working on the ground with another 20-person hand crew expected to arrive tomorrow morning.
No structures have been lost but the Texas Creek Trail system is closed. Approximately 30 homes in the South T-Bar Ranch subdivision were put on pre-evacuation notice late Wednesday. Please contact the Fremont County Sheriff’s office for any additional evacuation information.
The heavy smoke visible Thursday in the Canon City area is not from the Bull Gulch Fire. Due to high fire activity throughout the state and wind direction, smoke has drifted in from the West Fork Fire Complex in the San Juan National Forest near Wolf Creek Pass.
The cause of the Bull Gulch Fire is unknown.
Bull Gulch Fire Statistics at a Glance:
- Time/Date Started: June 19, 2013 approximately 1 p.m.
- Location: Fremont County, Colorado
- Cause: Under Investigation
- Fuels: Pinon, Juniper, Ponderosa Pine
- Size: 150 acres
- Containment: 5%
- Resources committed: 98 personnel including three, 20-person hand crews, 12 person heli-repel crew, three helicopters, and two type 6 fire engines.
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