Alkali Fire Grows To 20,000 Acres Near Craig
CRAIG, Colo. (CBS4) - The Alkali Fire in northwestern Colorado grew to 20,000 acres overnight amid 90-degree heat and erratic winds.
The blaze, which has destroyed one cabin and one barn, is burning on private and Bureau of Land Management acreage 14 miles north of Craig in Moffat County. The fire had charred roughly 8,000 acres by Wednesday. It was reported at 2:30 p.m.
The Northwest Colorado Fire Management Unit said dry fuels, high temperatures and sustained winds with thunderstorms are adding to the fight. Cloudy skies on Thursday, however, are helping crews.
Two 20-person crews and five engines are battling the fire. Oil and gas pipelines in the area are threatened.
"The fire made significant runs through sagebrush and grass earlier (Wednesday) jumping county roads and emitting embers which started spot fires. Spread potential of fire remains high," Lynn Barclay of the unit said in a statement on Wednesday.
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