Glenwood Fire Update: Paradise Creek Fire in South Canyon near Glenwood Springs forces closure of Interstate 70; see horrific visuals
A grass and brush fire known as the Paradise Creek Fire broke out in the South Canyon near Glenwood Springs, closing Interstate 70. According to WatchDuty, Tuesday’s incident occurred on I-70, MM Route 112, in Glenwood Springs, Garfield County, Colorado.
As of this writing, the fire is estimated to be 20 acres. “We are responding to a brush fire on Interstate 70 westbound at milepost 112 in the South Canyon. Colorado River Fire Rescue crews are responding with mutual aid. Interstate 70 westbound is closed at milepost 112,” the Glenwood Springs Fire Department shared on Facebook.
“Both directions of I-70 are now closed at Mile 112,” they added. In another update, they shared, “This fire has been named the Paradise Fire and is estimated to be 20 acres in size. Two helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft are en route to assist with suppression efforts. Aircraft will refill buckets from the Colorado River. I-70 will remain closed for now.” They also shared a set of photos.
according to duty officerA website that tracks fire outbreaks across the U.S. said the fire was “estimated at 15-20 acres in grass and brush with significant spread potential and is currently moving uphill.” A later update to the website noted that a Type 3 helicopter and large aerial tanker (LAT) were on scene. The website further informs that “two single-engine aerial refueling tankers (SEAT) are still on order.”
Local meteorologists further noted, “Wildfire has closed Interstate 70 near Glenwood Springs. Interstate 70 is closed between MM 109 and 112 west of Glenwood due to the Paradise Creek Fire, which is estimated to be 15-20 acres. Unfortunately, this fire has the potential to spread quickly. It’s hot and windy out there.”
The person shared a photo where smoke could be seen from the highway. One traveler also shared their experience of being stranded on the road due to the Glenwood Paradise Creek Fire.
“It’s been a wild trip so far… The next day we were headed to Genoa, Colorado for the night. A few miles from our campsite, two Storm Chaser vans passed by. We were watching a bad neighborhood develop into a tornado warning and we pulled over just in time to encounter hail and wind, but narrowly missed a tornado. Day three we were headed to Moab, Utah. Driving through Glenwood Canyon, the car suddenly stopped and the car came to a complete stop in both lanes. Directions, the mountain side was on fire, and winds were 25 to 30 throughout the day. level,” they wrote.
(This is a developing story)
