UPDATE: Oak Ridge Fire 59% contained at 1,240 acres

UPDATE: SUNDAY 7/7/2024 7:59 a.m.

(BEULAH, Colo.) — According to the Oak Ridge Fire update, the fire remains at 1,240 acres on Sunday, July 7, and is up to 59 percent containment. Fire crews will continue strategic burns to solidify the line in the southeastern corner along the ridge. Crews will also continue to chip up the cleared underbrush to reduce fuel for the fire, and preparations for pulling excess gear and equipment off firelines will begin.

UPDATE: SATURDAY 7/6/2024 9:55 a.m.

On Friday, around 5 p.m., fire crews began to implement strategic firing operations planned on the southeastern corner of the fire, according to the Oak Ridge Fire Update . The goal is to help contain the fire in an area that is difficult to access and allow firefighters to safely and effectively work.

Today, firefighters plan to use unmanned aircraft systems to ignite an expanded area to burn fuels from the fire to the widened containment line, so that they can better protect Beulah in the future. Additional smoke is expected.

The strategic firing operation is expected to take one to two more days, after which the backhaul of equipment off the lines is anticipated and crews will ramp up suppression repair to the lines.

The fire is currently 50 percent contained at 1,193 acres.

ORIGINAL STORY: Oak Ridge fire update: crews say not to be alarmed

FRIDAY 7/5/2024 7:53 p.m.

Fire crews said to expect more smoke and a brighter glow Friday evening, July 5, from the Oak Ridge Fire as they continue to work on containing the wildfire burning in Pueblo County. They plan to let the area near the town of Beulah burn starting Friday night to improve forest health and reduce fire danger in the future.

The map below shows the area where the burn is happening. It is labeled Div K for Division Kilo. Today the weather and relative humidity made it favorable for safe, strategic firing operations this evening in Division Kilo. The red on the map is where the fire is located.

A post on the Oak Ridge Fire 2024 Facebook page said, “In the nighttime, the orange glow and smoke are much easier to identify and looks larger than it really is or than it does during the daytime as it pops against the dark, black night landscape.”

The fire remained at 1,193 acres and at 25% containment throughout Friday, but firefighters believe this will increase because of the controlled burn.

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