New interactive map shows perimeter of Oak Ridge Fire

Watch the full briefing on the Oak Ridge Fire in the video player above.

UPDATE: THURSDAY 6/27/2024 8:29 p.m.

(PUEBLO/CUSTER COUNTIES, Colo.) — The Oak Ridge Fire grew to 1,071 acres on Thursday, according to incident managers . Containment remains at 0%.

UPDATE: THURSDAY 6/27/2024 6:05 p.m.

A new interactive map is available for community members to view the perimeter of the Oak Ridge Fire.

The map allows users to zoom in and out of the fire perimeter as well as search addresses and measure distances. The map does not contain real-time data, and will only be updated once a day, incident managers said.

Click here to view the interactive map.

Thunderstorms, winds could impact growth of Oak Ridge Fire Thursday

UPDATE: THURSDAY 6/27/2024 10:22 a.m.

Fire crews were able to make “excellent progress” on Wednesday, June 26 on the east and northeast sides of the Oak Ridge Fire perimeter which kept the fire from spreading further toward the town of Beulah.

Current map of Oak Ridge Fire as of 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 27

According to an update on the Oak Ridge Fire’s Facebook page posted just after 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 27, the remaining fire perimeter in the northern and western portion and to the south, is in steep and rugged terrain which is not safe for crews on the ground, so air resources have been working aggressively over those areas to get a handle on the flames.

Structure protection crews continue their operations as well and are making good progress.

“They are also scouting and assessing structures further away from the fire to the north and south so they can develop a structure protection plan for future use if needed,” according to the Facebook post.

The update on Thursday also addressed why community members may see large columns of smoke in the area, which is due to unburned fuels inside the fire perimeter.

The weather over the Oak Ridge Fire on Thursday is expected to bring cooler temperatures and an increase in humidity. “Afternoon thunderstorms bring the potential for brief heavy rainfall and small hail and south-southwest winds with gusts up to 25-30 mph,” according to the update.

“The biggest concerns for firefighters today is the steep, inaccessible terrain, as well as the southwest winds pushing the fire back that are a potential for [Thursday], as well as the chance of thunderstorms which could create strong outflow winds and really impact fire size and behavior,” said Matt Holte, Operations Section Chief Trainee for the Oak Ridge Fire.

Evacuations for the fire remain the same; Middle Creek Canyon Road is under a mandatory evacuation order and communities on pre-evacuation status include; Vine Mesa, Cascade Avenue, Pine Avenue, and Beulah Highlands Road.

The Oak Ridge Fire is now 1,025 acres and is burning in Pueblo and Custer counties near Beulah.

ORIGINAL STORY: Oak Ridge Fire continues to grow in Custer and Pueblo counties

THURSDAY 6/27/2024 9 a.m.

The Oak Ridge Fire that began on Saturday, June 22 near Beulah has grown to 1,025 acres and is burning on both sides of the Custer/Pueblo County line.

On Wednesday, June 26 crews continued battling the fire, with eight drops of retardant to slow the spread, primarily on the north and west ends of the fire, along with significant focus on the east side as well.

As of Thursday, June 27 at around 9 a.m., no further evacuations have been announced. Middle Creek Canyon Road is still under mandatory evacuation orders while Vine Mesa, Cascade Avenue, Pine Avenue, and Beulah Highlands Road remain on pre-evacuation status. Information on evacuations and support for community members can be found on the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office website.

A briefing is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Thursday to address the conditions of the fire and a new fire map will be provided during the morning briefing.

FOX21 will continue to provide updates in this article as information comes in.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.