Single Publication

Currant Creek Fire Update

August 1, 2024

Size: 193 Acres

Containment: 56%

Thanks to the hard work of firefighters, the Currant Creek Fire is now 56% contained. Fire behavior was minimal today despite high temperatures and low humidity. The crews’ main focus was “cold trailing” the perimeter of the fire. Cold trailing is a method of assessing a partly-dead fire edge by carefully inspecting and feeling with the hand for heat to detect any fire. It can be tedious and time-consuming but it ensures the fire edge is dead cold and it is a vital part of the mop-up process. This informs fire managers about which edges of the fire need more work and which portions of the fire can be declared contained. While crews worked on cold trailing, the bulldozer operator completed the last portions of dozer line on the eastern edge of the fire near where the flare-up occurred on Tuesday night and a second dozer made significant improvements for containment in the Dry Creek drainage area.

Due to increasing stability of the incident and good progress being made towards containment, these descriptive updates will now be released on an as-needed basis. In this case, no news will be good news. We will try and provide an update when there is significant progress. No update means mop-up is going as planned and there is no significant activity on the fire. The Currant Creek Fire Inciweb page will continue to be updated regularly with the most up to date fire information. If there are any critical events or a significant increase in fire activity, a message will be released as soon as possible.

All of the agencies and personnel involved with this fire response would like to thank the Delta County community for their support during the past week. For some of you, firefighters have taken over your favorite park, which made it necessary to relocate a planned event; but fire crews are extremely grateful for the support of the Orchard City and Cedaredge communities during this fire. Other residents have endured emergency vehicles driving up and down your roads daily. However you might have been impacted, your patience and understanding is greatly appreciated!

Due to high temperatures, low humidity and extremely dry fuels, fire danger is extreme right now across Colorado as is evident by the large wildfires burning across the state. Delta County is under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions and many other local jurisdictions are entering fire restrictions also. Please #KnowBeforeYouGo and check fire restrictions at the West Slope Fire Info website before heading out to camp or recreate.

Preparedness: It’s never too late to prepare and plan for the possibility of being impacted by wildfires. This includes having evacuation plans for yourself, your family, and your animals, having a “go-bag” ready, performing wildfire mitigation on and around your home, and even having a plan for creating clean indoor air when smoke gets thick outside. It’s also important to sign up for alerts, so you can immediately be notified if there is a fire or other emergency happening in your area. Visit DeltaCountyCO.gov/Alerts to sign up or learn more about Emergency Alerts in Delta County. For resources on planning for wildfire, visit ready.gov/wildfires.

Closures: Currant Creek Road remains closed to the public at the intersection with Cactus Park Road. Only residents on the lower portions of Currant Creek Road, south of the fire, will be permitted past the road closure. We ask that non-residents or anyone wanting to look at the fire please avoid the area. We need to maintain a clear access road for firefighter safety. An announcement will be made when the closure is lifted.