Lake City resident Schuyler Denham, dressed in colonial attire, reads the Declaration of Independence in front of the Hinsdale County Museum.(Carol Robinson)Fires continue to grow in Southwest Colorado

The Gold Mountain Fire has grown to over 31,000 acres but was 7% contained as of yesterday at 7 p.m. An update posted yesterday stated that “Firefighters continue to protect housing and critical infrastructure throughout the incident area. Crews are preparing and protecting structures, improving defensible space, and implementing protective measures along the Highway 550 corridor between Ouray and Ridgway, as well as around the Silver Jack Reservoir, including Bear Claw and Silver Jack settlements.” The fire is most active near the north and northwest fire perimeter. Additional fire growth is expected along the eastern edge of the fire, where some spot fires continue to retreat downhill to the West Fork of the Cimarron Basin as the fire moves across steep and densely wooded terrain. Most of the fire is burning within the Uncompahgre Wilderness Area, where a fire hasn't burned in more than 50 years. Dense deadwood, extremely dry vegetation, prolonged drought, below-average precipitation, and historically low snowpack continue to create conditions that favor active fire behavior.

And the Aspen Acres Fire is now burning almost 94,000 acres, but officials say that firefighters are making important headway, with containment now at 16%. The Ferris Fire in Dolores County is at about 57,000 acres with 19% containment.

Fires fueled by drought conditions

Drought conditions persist throughout the Mountain West, fueling the wildfires currently burning hundreds of thousands of acres in Colorado and Utah.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the entire KVNF listening area is in drought, ranging from severe to exceptional in different parts.

Forecasts currently show a high-pressure system that could bring record-breaking heat to the western part of the country in the next week to 10 days.

After that, monsoon rains are predicted to begin in the latter half of the month.

Seth Arens, a hydrologist with the Western Water Assessment, says that rain likely won't refill empty reservoirs. But he also stated that "it does help mitigate some of these short-term impacts, maybe improves forage for cattle grazing and wildlife, but some of the longer-term impacts really are going to rely on what happens next winter with precipitation and winter snowpacks."

Even though an El Niño pattern correlates with a wetter winter in the Rocky Mountains, it also usually means higher temperatures, which Arens says could lessen the amount of water stored in the snowpack.

Man requests emergency assistance for broken leg, then declines assistance and hikes away

The San Miguel County Sheriff's Office has shared a frustrating Search and Rescue effort spurred by a man who claimed to have broken his leg. But after rescuers arrived, he declined assistance and hiked away on his own two feet.

The Sheriff's Office stated that on Monday, deputy sheriffs and members of San Miguel County Search and Rescue responded to a Garmin SOS activation from an injured individual in the Columbine Basin, approximately six miles southeast above Bridal Veil Falls near Telluride. The SOS was activated by a 31-year-old man from Grand Junction, who reported via the SOS that he fell over 150 feet and believed he broke his leg. Motorcycles and UTVs transported rescuers to the area, where they hiked another mile and a half carrying rescue equipment to reach the man. A helicopter was also deployed and landed at an established landing zone. When Search and Rescue arrived, however, the man was walking around. He told rescuers that he was BASE jumping off a cliff when his chute failed to deploy. He then declined helicopter transport, stated he no longer wanted assistance from Search and Rescue, and hiked away on foot with a friend.

In a statement about the incident, the Sheriff's Office stated that the man "has previously required extensive Search and Rescue resources and assistance. According to published media reports, he was injured during a BASE jumping accident in the Swiss Alps about 10 years ago and was stranded for 13 hours during a rescue involving nearly two dozen rescuers and three helicopters. Those reports stated that his $161 insurance policy covered the approximately $175,000 cost of his air evacuation."

Sheriff Covault stated that the man "chose to participate in an extremely dangerous activity alone, and particularly given his prior rescue history, his actions demonstrated a disregard for the risks involved and the resources required to rescue him. His decisions unnecessarily diverted emergency resources, including a Care Flight helicopter, that may have been needed for other emergencies. The fact that he was able to hike back down shows a profound lack of respect for the tremendous effort and resources devoted to this rescue." Sheriff Covault also thanked the deputies and San Miguel County Search and Rescue personnel and volunteers.

Keeping the spirit of Independence Day alive in Lake City

Like many communities across Colorado, the tiny town of Lake City canceled its Independence Day fireworks display due to fire danger, but one local man kept another tradition going. For KVNF, Laura Palmisano takes us to downtown Lake City on the nation's 250th birthday.

Scenes from inside the Gold Mountain Incident Command Post(Audrey McCabe)Montrose receives $3.3 million grant to revitalize Bullock Electric Steam Plant

Montrose was recently selected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently to receive a $3.3 million cleanup grant, the largest grant awarded to a Colorado community so far in 2026. The grant will be used to revitalize the Bullock Electric Steam Plant located on the city’s Uncompahgre River corridor. A press release from the city states that the goal of the project is to “transform a 20th-century relic of industrial power generation into a community asset and economic driver.” The Bullock Plant is a historic steam and electric facility, originally coal-fired and later converted to natural gas, which operated from 1953 to 1983. The building had deteriorated significantly since the plant was shut down in 1983, and has attracted illegal dumping and vandalism. The City of Montrose purchased the property in 2021 and secured the building, but it has remained unused, and is heavily contaminated with asbestos and other toxic elements. After remediation efforts and environmental cleanup , the city says it will retain ownership and redevelop the site for both public and private uses. The former power plant building will be adaptively reused as a multi-level indoor climbing gym to support year-round recreation, job creation, and private reinvestment. The project also aims to restore riparian habitat, create flood-resistant green space, and establish public river access for kayaking and fishing.

Republican candidate for Colorado governor remains undetermined

And in election news, the GOP gubernatorial has not been called. According to a statement by candidate Victor Marx yesterday, he was leading his opponent, State Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer, but just over 2,000 votes, with roughly 97% of the votes counted. Marx said “there are still lawful ballots to process, including military and overseas ballots, cured ballots, and provisional ballots. Every legal vote matters, and we will continue to respect the process until every lawful ballot has been counted.” Colorado law triggers an automatic recount when the gap between the top two candidates is no more than half of one percent of the leading candidate’s vote total. Colorado voters have until 11:59 p.m. on July 8 to fix eligible signature or ID issues. But since Colorado is a blue state with nearly all state-wide and Federal races going democratic in general elections, the outcome of this primary is unlikely to affect who becomes Colorado’s next governor.

900 breakfasts a day: life inside the Gold Mountain Fire Incident Command Post

Days ago, it was the Ouray County Fairgrounds. Now it's a small city.

Nearly a thousand people are working the Gold Mountain Fire, which grew to almost 28,000 acres over the holiday weekend near Ouray and stood at 3% contained as of July 6th. To feed, house and support them, an entire town has sprung up almost overnight in Ridgway — hundreds of tents, streets of office trailers, showers, laundry, a medical unit and its own security.

"We really kind of set up a little mini town," says Tyler Nathe, one of the Operations Section chiefs with the incident management team.

The scale is hard to picture until you stand in it. In the mess hall, head cook Shamarie Bailey serves 900 breakfasts nearly every morning. Each firefighter on the line can burn through 5,000 calories a day, and refrigerated semi-trailers hold days of meals in reserve.

"I do it because someone has to," Bailey says. "People are out there fighting the fires for us, and we've got to serve them. They have to eat."

There are no volunteers in this camp. Every cook, driver and firefighter is a trained, paid professional, drawn from more than 30 states — among them a tribal fire crew from California, the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Even the small things reveal the discipline: crews walk single file everywhere, even to breakfast, because on the fire line that's how a crew keeps count of every member.

Reuben Farnsworth, a paramedic from Delta County, has worked fire camps for a decade. "It's a mobile camp, kind of like the camps they set up for military personnel overseas," he says. "Kind of like a little city."

The fire is burning in places locals love — the West, Middle, and East forks of the Cimarron, where families have camped for generations. Nathie, who grew up in Grand Junction, has camped there too.

Near the mess hall stands an information board with the morning's maps. One corner is saved for thank-you notes and was a little sparse on Monday morning. If you want to drop thank you notes for the fire crews call the hotline at 970-355-3286 to learn how to deliver them.

If you want to donate to those effected by the fire visit the Ouray County Community Foundation at wc-cf.org.

The energy-rich Roan Plateau looms over traffic moving along Interstate 70 near De Beque, Colorado, on Jan. 12, 2022(William Woody / The Colorado Sun )

Gold Mountain fire continues to grow
The Gold Mountain fire outside Ouray grew steadily over the weekend, and was reported to be up to 26,504 acres at 5pm yesterday. According to the fire’s official FaceBook page, firefighters were working towards strategic firing operations. To carry out a firing operation, firefighters cut away vegetation to make a line of bare soil ahead of a fire, and then burn the vegetation between that line and the actively burning fire front. This essentially manipulates the fire to create a wider fireline, but can be difficult to execute, especially in the rugged terrain of the Gold Mountain Fire. The announcement also stated that the firing operations would likely be visible to the city of Ridgway and the 550 Freeway corridor. A “spike camp,” or a temporary remote base, was established for personnel on the northeast side of the fire to reduce firefighter personnel travel time and position resources closer to high-priority operational areas and improve response efficiency.

Officials are also reminding the public that a temporary flight restriction has been put into place to allow aerial assets to be used safely by firefighters. Any private drone or airplane that flies within the restricted airspace will cause all helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, and drones being used to fight the fire to be grounded immediately for safety. Residents may be tempted to fly drones in order to see the fire, but officials say that doing so can severely impact firefighting efforts. Check out the Gold Mountain Fire Facebook page for more information on the restriction. Several organizations are accepting donations for impacted families and first responders. Ouray County is also accepting volunteers to provide food, transport personnel, provide time or expertise, or help with livestock. The County also has a form for individuals or families impacted by the fire. You can find more information on donations, volunteer opportunities, and assistance for those impacted on the webpost for this newscast.

Aspen Acres fire becomes the seventh largest recorded wildfire in Colorado

And the Aspen Acres fire southwest of Pueblo surged this weekend, becoming the seventh largest wildfire on record in Colorado. Authorities have said that the fire was human-caused, but haven’t released any further details. It originated near the Aspen Acres campground in Pueblo county, and has since forced the evacuation of several nearby towns. More than 180 structures have been destroyed. The fire had been 13% contained by yesterday evening.

Roan Plateau to be opened to drilling

The Bureau of Land Management's upcoming December 2026 oil and gas lease sale includes parcels covering thousands of acres on the Roan Plateau in Western Colorado.

This comes after nearly a decade of protests and lawsuits by conservation groups to block drilling in the area which is known for its diverse wildlife habitat.

For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, KDNK's Amy Hadden Marsh spoke with Peter Hart, legal director for Carbondale's Wilderness Workshop, to find out more.

The public has until July 9 to comment on the BLM's December 2026 lease sale.

Montrose puts six month moratorium on data centers

GOP gubernatorial race between Kirkmeyer and Marx may go to a recount

Nonprofit aims to buy the Creamery on a short timeline

Deadly crash on US 550

Two adults died and a baby was injured in a crash on U.S. 550 Monday evening. The Montrose Daily Press reports that the victims were traveling toward Montrose and were approaching the intersection with Solar Road, when the driver attempted to pass multiple vehicles in their Toyota Corolla. Colorado State Patrol Sgt. Jeremy Tice said on Wednesday that the driver attempted to merge back into the correct lane, but lost control, likely due to excessive speed. The car slammed into a Dodge Ram 2500 driven by a 55-year-old Montrose man who was traveling down a private driveway. The Toyota rolled, and the Ram went into a small ditch. Witnesses pushed the Toyota upright to aid the passengers, but were unable to save them. The one-year-old girl was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and then transported to the Children’s Hospital in Colorado Springs. The crash remains under investigation, with autopsies and toxicology reports pending.

Uncompahgre Water Users Association unsure if farmers will have enough water for winter crops

The Uncompahgre Water Users Association has put out a somewhat dire statement regarding this year’s drought: “Management and staff are closely monitoring the water coming in into and releasing from Taylor, Blue Mesa and Ridgway reservoirs. Due to the severity of the drought, along with the windy, hot weather and severe fires burning in our communities, we are working on a plan to get our agricultural producers enough water to harvest their summer crops. At this point, we have no expectation to be able to provide water for the winter crops, we may see a strong monsoon season, and at that time we will be able to make the decision if we can stretch our water to the end of October. Please be mindful of your water usage during this time."

Ouray cancels this year's water fights

The town of Ouray decided that, in addition to its fourth of july fireworks show, it is cancelling this year’s annual water fights. The event involves teams facing each other on Main Street in Ouray, armed with fire hoses spewing water at full force. According to the Telluride Times, the tradition grew in the old mining days of Ouray in the late 1800s and is usually a highlight of the Ouray 4th of July celebration. The Fourth of July weekend celebrations are important for the Ouray economy, and some residents expressed frustration with the decision online. However, The City emphasizes that public safety remains the top priority. Residents and visitors are encouraged to remain aware of the current Gold Mountain Fire activity, respect all Stage 2 Fire Restrictions, and follow any emergency instructions should conditions change. As of 5pm yesterday, the Ouray Volunteer Fire Department Benefit Concert at Fellin Park is still scheduled for Friday, and the town parade is still slated to take place on Saturday.

Meeting informs Ouray residents of latest fire updates

Tuesday evening, local officials involved in the response to the Gold Mountain Fire hosted a community meeting to inform residents of the latest information about the fire and response.

Tyler Nathe, The Operations Section Chief with Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management said that the team isn’t just fighting the fire day-by-day, but engaging in a complex planning process, saying, "We're looking really far out, six, seven, eight...12 days, and try to forecast what this is going to do so that we're not surprised."

Dana Gardunio, a District Ranger at the U.S. Forest Service, also told the crowd that she's "gearing up for this being a marathon and not a sprint."

Nathe went into detail about various strategies that are being used in different areas with private residences. But he also acknowledged that the fire is largely burning in areas that are remote and uninhabited. In those areas, he said, the priority has to be human lives. That means avoiding engaging any firefighters in difficult, tough country where no structures or lives are at risk.

According to Cheeseborough, officials have been asked why there aren't more aircrafts flying. He said it's due to wind that limits the ability for aviators to fly safely, and that the terrain and smoke makes the situation "pretty complex" for flying.

Cheeseborough also addressed the status of resources. He said that due to wildfires across the region and nation, resources are limited. He said that "activities picked up nationally. And so there are some challenges with getting those resources, you know, nationally."

Ouray County Sheriff Justin Perry also addressed concerns about some phones not receiving alerts. He told the crowd, “not only do we have an overloaded system trying to get messages out, but we also had a cell tower that was damaged and destroyed in this fire. So if most of you were on Verizon and you're not getting those, there's a reason why you weren't getting the messages. If it was via cell phone, and that is because of that tower. We are working on that. I think some of that has actually been restored. We had a cell tower that came through that they were trying to get that put up outside of the city of Ouray. And I know there's actually a city of Ouray booster also within town. It should be helping a little bit.”

Several of the speakers also thanked local responders.

KVNF will continue to keep you updated on the status of the Gold Mountain Fire.

Smoke poses health risks for Coloradans

The state health department has issued a health advisory for more than a dozen counties in Colorado because of wildfire smoke.

Fires burning in Utah and Colorado have brought smokey skies in recent days.

Carlyn Porter is an epidemiologist with Pitkin County’s public health department.

She says if you can see or smell smoke, try to avoid strenuous outdoor activities.

Porter says low-stress activities like walking your dog are fine, but extended smoke exposure can lead to serious respiratory or circulatory issues.

N-95 masks can help, but Porter doesn’t think they’re very practical in the summer heat.

When it’s visibly smokey, she says staying inside with a HEPA approved filter is your best bet.

Montrose County Clerk and Recorder's Office(Audrey McCabe / KVNF)

Delta cancels fireworks show

Like Montrose and Ouray, the City of Delta has decided not to host its Fourth of July fireworks show. The City announced that it coordinated with the Delta Volunteer Fire Department to postpone the show, after careful consideration of current local and regional conditions. Stage 2 Fire Restrictions are now in effect throughout the county, and residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the restrictions and do their part to help prevent wildfires.
The city wants residents to know that while the fireworks show has been postponed, the celebration is far from over! The Western Sky Balloon Festival is still set to deliver an incredible Independence Day weekend packed with hot air balloons, a spectacular drone show, parade, live entertainment, food trucks, vendors, family activities, a foam party, and so much more. A rescheduled date for the fireworks show has not been announced yet, as it depends on how conditions unfold across this season.

Coloradans make their partisan primary picks

Dan Burke resigns from the Delta County School Board, saying he "no longer has a voice on the board"

Last week’s Delta County School Board was an eventful one. There were two farewells at Thursday's Delta County School Board meeting. One was expected. The other was a surprise. Superintendent Caryn Gibson opened the meeting with her farewell address. She retires at the end of the month, after sixteen years leading the district and forty years in education. Gibson thanked her family, her staff, and the community. She pointed to the district's accomplishments — strong state ratings across all its schools, and championships in athletics and academics. Taking over for Gibson is Amber Clark. She most recently served as assistant superintendent in Garfield County. Karyn Gibson, is running for an uncontested seat on the Montrose Board of County Commissioners.

Then came the surprise. At the end of the meeting, board member Dan Burke announced he was resigning, effective immediately. He said he was often in the minority on decisions, and that it had grown increasingly frustrating. Looking to the future, he said it was important for the board to remain nonpartisan.

Burke gave an emotional thank you to those who have supported him, including his wife. Visibly upset, he said he was resigning— effective immediately.

Dan Burke had been involved with the school district since 1982. Gibson thanked Burke for his service to the district.

Smoke billowing from the Gold Mountain Fire in Ouray (Audrey McCabe / KVNF)Gold Mountain Fire continues to grow

Fanned by persistent winds, the Gold Mountain fire in Ouray grew rapidly yesterday from roughly 4000 acres to over 8,300 acres. Ouray County remains in a declared state of emergency. Evacuation and pre-evacuations notices made over the weekend, stayed in place yesterday, and the Ouray County Sheriff expanded the evacuation zone to include people camping, hiking, or otherwise recreating in the Cow Creek area. An evacuation shelter is open at Ridgway Secondary school. Any livestock in need of evacuation can be taken to the Montrose County Fairgrounds.

The cause remains under investigation. You can find more information about evacuations at ouraycountyco.gov. As of 8pm yesterday, there had been no reporting of lost structures.

During live shows, KVNF DJs will provide updates at the top or each hour. Stay tuned to IN OURAY at 90.1, and in Ridgway at 88.9 for regular updates.

Ouray residents describe frightening but organized evacuation

As wildfire threatened neighborhoods near Ouray, residents who evacuated their homes described a fast-moving situation, gratitude for emergency responders, and a community rallying together in the face of uncertainty.

Megan Vernola and her husband, Patrick, were hosting family from out of state when they realized the fire was approaching.

"It was pretty scary yesterday because we visually saw so much flames and smoke and fire from our property," Vernola said.

The family quickly packed their belongings before checking in at the evacuation center at the Ouray Elementary School.

"Our family helped. We were all loading everything up and then we came here at the elementary school, checked in, Sheriff took our names down and our phone numbers down," she said.

Vernola said the evacuation process was made easier by the organization and communication from emergency officials.

"Everyone has been amazing, extremely informative, organized," she said. "It just really kind of helped the transition of us getting everything together to be able to evacuate."

Scott Gleason and Barb Latham also evacuated after learning about the fire Saturday evening. The couple had been attending Riverfest in Ouray when a friend alerted them that a fire had started near their neighborhood.

After returning home, they received a pre-evacuation notice. About 25 minutes later, a mandatory evacuation order followed.

"We started to gather our important documents, some clothes, our pets, important things for work," Gleason said. "Then, shortly after, we were mandatory. You need to get out. The Montrose Sheriff's Posse actually came up our road with lights flashing, informing us that we needed to leave. It was pretty quick, without a lot of thought."

Gleason praised the coordinated response from local agencies.

"The sheriff, the county itself, the firefighting teams, emergency management—they have done a great job," he said.

Both families said one of the brightest spots during the evacuation has been the support from neighbors and the broader community.

"The whole community in general has been phenomenal," Vernola said. "Everybody—neighbors, sheriff, residents—is always here to help each other out. It's that small-town feeling where people ask, 'What do you need? Do you need help?'"

Gleason said his family has experienced a similar outpouring of support.

"We've had an outpouring across all areas for help and people's thoughts and prayers, sending good vibes—everything," he said.

He also urged members of the public to avoid stopping near the fire to watch or take photos, saying parked vehicles can interfere with emergency operations.

"Be considerate of the firefighters," Gleason said. "There are a lot of people parking on the roads just to watch and take pictures. I think it'd be respectful, if possible, not to come and clog up the roads where the emergency folks are trying to do their jobs."

As of Monday afternoon, neither family's home had sustained damage. Both said they were grateful to be safe, even as the uncertainty continued.

"I feel thankful that we're safe and our important things are safe," Gleason said.

Vernola echoed that sentiment.

"I'm still on edge, but we're safe. That's what matters," she said. "Other things you can replace."

Stage 2 Fire Restrictions

All counties in the KVNF listening area have moved to Stage 2 fire restrictions. In addition to the open burning prohibitions of Stage 1 fire restrictions, Stage - 2 fire restrictions prohibit smoking outdoors near combustible materials, Driving off established trails or roads, and the use of any explosives or (most notably this weekend), fireworks. The City of Montrose has prohibited the sale of fireworks beginning at noon yesterday. Thus far the municipal fourth of July fireworks displays in Ouray and Montrose have been canceled, or in the case of Montrose, postponed. In a press release, The Montrose Police Department cited the extreme fire conditions being experienced across the western slope, and the critical strain on fire protection resources saying,

“With multiple large scale and resource intensive fires now active on the Western Slope, including the fire occurring in Ouray County, many of these resources are not available to assist with fire protection activities in Montrose.

Because of the current strain on fire protection resources and with the safety of the public as our primary concern, the City of Montrose is postponing the July 4th community fireworks display until a future date when weather conditions are favorable. The parade on Main Street, free concert and family-friendly events at the Montrose Rotary Amphitheater will continue as planned.

Snyder Fire Fatalities

The Snyder fire continues to burn on the Colorado Utah border, south of I-70. Now approaching 30,000 acres this fire unfortunately is the first fire this season responsible for the fatalities of three young firefighters. According to a press release from the Department of the Interior, the firefighters were part of the Rifle Helitack crew. Helitack crews respond to fires by helicopter. They were making an initial attack on the Knowles Fire in Mesa County on Saturday. The Knowles Fire has since merged into a larger blaze now called the Snyder Fire.

The firefighters who died are Emily Barker, 38, of Clinton Township, Michigan; Nick Hutcherson, 27 of Glendale, Arizona; and Sydney Watson, 27, of Warrior, Alabama. Two other firefighters were hurt and are now receiving medical care.

Forest Service Deputy Chief Sarah Fisher called it an incredibly difficult moment for the entire wildland fire community. Federal officials say they're supporting the firefighters' families and crewmates. A team has been sent to investigate what happened. Officials expect to release more information in the coming days.

Aspen Acres fire

In Southern Colorado West of I-25 between Pueblo and Walsenburg, the Aspen Acres Fire is burning at more than 22,000 acres, in a more densely populated area. According to the local public radio station KLZR, more than 500 homes have been lost near Rye Colorado. Many areas in Pueblo and Custer County have been evacuated, including the famous Bishops Castle.

Ferris fire

Gold Mountain Fire in Ouray County on June 28, 2026(Watch Duty| User-submitted photo)Fire in Ouray burning over 4,000 acres

The Gold Mountain fire in Ouray grew rapidly over the weekend, and the county has declared a state of emergency. As of yesterday evening, it had grown to over 4,000 acres. The cause remains under investigation. Evacuation orders were put into place for several neighborhoods, and a shelter is open at Ridgway Secondary school. You can find more information about evacuations at ouraycountyco.gov. As of 10:09 a.m yesterday morning, there had been no reporting of lost structures.

During live shows, KVNF DJs will provide updates at the top and bottom of every hour. Stay tuned to IN OURAY at 90.1, and in Ridgway at 88.9 for regular updates.

Snyder fire contributes to smoke in Western Colorado

If you’re in the KVNF listening area, you may have seen or smelled smoke in the area over the weekend. Some of this smoke is coming from the Gold Mountain Fire in Ouray, but most has come from a large fire west of Grand Junction.

The Snyder Fire on the Colorado-Utah state line was burning over 28-thousand acres on mostly BLM land, and was zero percent contained as of yesterday morning. Three firefighters were tragically killed and two others were injured fighting the blaze on Saturday.

Governor Jared Polis has verbally declared a disaster emergency and has authorized the national guard to assist.

Carolina Llanes reports for Rocky Mountain Community Radio that the fire began as two smaller fires, both started by dry lightning strikes, which then combined on Saturday.

Extreme fire weather caused the fire to grow rapidly, from just over a thousand acres on Saturday to over 28-thousand on Sunday.

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service reports that three firefighters died while responding to the blaze, and two more were hospitalized with injuries.

The National Weather Service has upgraded a red flag warning, which signals low humidity, high winds, and dry fuels, to what it calls a “Particularly Dangerous Situation.”

The BLM has closed the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area to recreation for firefighter safety, and the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office evacuated campers from the banks of the Colorado River on Saturday night.

Smoke from the Snyder Fire and several other large fires burning in central and southern Utah, as well as the Ferris Fire in Southwest Colorado, has caused poor air quality throughout the region.

Grand Junction Daily Sentinel mistakenly reports that local firefighters were airlifted out of fire

While the blaze was growing on the Utah-Colorado border on Saturday, the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reported that five Grand Junction firefighters had been rescued and airlifted from the Glade Park area– but that actually wasn’t true. The Grand Junction Fire Department later stated that no Grand Junction Fire Department personnel were assigned to the fire in that area. The Daily Sentinel stated in its original article that the information was based on radio scanner traffic originally posted on JunctionNow.com. The Fire Department says that it was not contacted to verify the information before it was published in the Sentinel, and that the inaccuracy had immediate and significant consequences. Members of the department and their families were left to wonder if their colleagues or loved ones had been seriously injured. The Fire Department command staff worked with its union chapter to proactively contact the families of on-duty personnel to reassure them that no Grand Junction firefighters had been involved in the incident. During crises, like wildfires, it’s easy for false information to spread quickly. In these moments, it’s important to verify information with official sources.

Coloradans vote in primary elections this week

Colorado voters must return their ballots by 7pm on Tuesday for this year’s primary elections.

There are several key statewide races on the ballot in addition to some key congressional seats around the state.

Bente Birkeland, who reports for CPR with the Colorado Capitol News Alliance, has been speaking with voters around the state about what issues matter most to them.
She spoke with Rocky Mountain Community Radio’s Maeve Conran about what she’s been hearing.

Soil Amendments are Added as Peach Trees are Planted by Analissa Sarno. (Colorado Department of Agriculture)Peach Orchard Soil Health & Water Conservation Study

The Colorado Department of Agriculture leads a Soil Health program that helps farmers and ranchers adopt soil health practices that improve soil function, conserve water, and enhance long-term profitability. The department recently announced that two scientists at the Orchard Mesa Research Center will receive a grant as part of the program. Drs. David Sterle and Dr. Analissa Sarno received funding to evaluate how soil amendments influence peach orchard establishment, tree performance, soil health, and water use. A new research orchard to conduct this work will be established at the center.

The study will assess the effects of different treatments on soil health and nutrient cycling, tree growth and establishment, and plant stress. During the second year of the project, the team will host a field day to share preliminary findings and provide producers with an opportunity to observe the treatments firsthand.

A press release states that the overall goal of this study is to document the effects of these treatments in Western Colorado orchard systems and provide practical management recommendations for tree fruit growers.

Man dies near summit of Mount Sneffels

The Ouray Mountain Rescue Team is urging caution for outdoor recreationists after a 32-year-old trail runner’s body was found near the summit of Mount Sneffels last week. The man was reportedly an experienced outdoorsman, and had climbed Mount Sneffels several times, both alone and with others. Dergo Nergui, the incident commander for the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team, told the Colorado Sun that hikers should always inform someone not hiking with you of where you plan to park, your intended route, when you expect to be back, and what is a reasonable time to seek help if you haven’t returned. The San Juan Mountains contain rugged, steep terrain with spotty cellphone services, making preparation important. The Sun reports that hikers should remember the Three Ts: Trip Planning, Training, Taking the Essentials. Trip planning means checking the weather, downloading a map to your phone or bringing a paper map, and leaving your plan with a responsible person. Training means making sure you have the physical conditioning, knowledge, and skill for the activity. And taking the essentials means bringing more water than you think you’ll need, food, sun protection, daily medications, and other necessities that could help you in a bind.

Drought impacts fish health

The ongoing drought and low streamflows across the Rocky Mountain West are putting added stress on fish populations.

Low levels can lead to warmer water temperatures and lower oxygen levels. conditions that make it harder for fish to survive.

A conservation group is asking anglers to pay close attention to water temperatures before fishing.

Kirk Klancke president of the Colorado River Headwaters Chapter of Trout Unlimited, says anglers need to do their part to preserve the fisheries.

Bennet and Weiser struggle to carve their own paths on environmental policy

Colorado gubernatorial candidates Michael Bennet and Phil Weiser agree that climate change and meeting the state’s emissions reductions goals must be a priority.

Though, as with other policy topics, the two Democrats have struggled to differentiate their platforms on the campaign trail.

Rocky Mountain Community Radio’s Caroline Llanes has more on what they’ve chosen to emphasize.

Oil and gas companies settle with state agency after consultants falsified environmental data

Three oil and gas companies have entered into voluntary settlement agreements with the state agency that regulates that industry. The Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission announced that it finalized six legally binding settlement agreements with companies following a 21-month investigation into falsified environmental and remediation data submitted to the agency. According to a press release, the investigation began in late 2024 after operators disclosed concerns involving third-party environmental consultants and data submitted to ECMC for subsidiaries of three operators - Oxy USA, Inc, Chevron USA, Inc., and Civitas Resources, Inc. In November 2024, ECMC announced that two environmental consultants — Eagle Environmental Consulting, Inc. and Tasman Geosciences — hired by these oil and gas operators submitted falsified lab data reports between 2021 and 2024. During its ongoing investigation, the commission found that the data manipulation affected soil, groundwater, and inorganic and organic contaminant data for about 400 oil and gas locations in Larimer and Weld counties.

Under the agreements, the companies will pay a combined total of nearly $2 million in penalties and complete corrective actions that include additional site reviews, resubmission of corrected information, enhanced quality assurance procedures, and strengthened oversight of environmental contractors.

Air quality health advisory due to wildfire smoke

Yesterday morning, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment put out an air quality health advisory for 16 counties in the state. Due to wildfire smoke mostly coming from Utah and Nevada, the advisory applies to counties in the KVNF listening area: Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, San Miguel, and Ouray. The agency says that “If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood you may want to remain indoors. This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and older adults. Consider limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present. Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill. If visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy.” You can learn more about air quality and wildfire smoke near you at airnow.gov/wildfires.

Members of Colorado clemency board criticize Polis' decision to free Tina Peters

The New York Times has reported that months before Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado freed the election denier Tina Peters from prison, his own clemency board voted unanimously — twice — to reject her bid for early release. The Times spoke with two of the board’s members, who sharply criticized Polis’ decision. Peters was convicted of tampering with voting machines under her control in a plot to show that the 2020 election had been rigged against Mr. Trump. The case that made her a martyr to the election-denial movement and a favorite of President Trump, who harangued Governor Polis to free her for months. The 11-person clemency advisory board, whose members are appointed by Polis, largely operates in secret. But Polis’ decision to overrule the board’s twice-made decision prompted two of the members, both Denver-based attorneys, to speak out. One of them said of the commutation, “It really was a punch in the gut," and, “It flies in the face of justice.” The two members also told the Times that the decision had undercut Colorado’s clemency system by freeing an inmate with powerful political allies while dozens of other deserving applicants remained incarcerated. Polis will step down as governor in January of next year, as the position is term-limited. His decision to commute Peters’ sentence is likely to influence his political legacy.

Voters will decide this fall whether to set aside a dedicated portion of the state budget to fund roads and bridges

The Colorado contractors association is running an initiative to change the state constitution to require Colorado to spend roughly 2% of the budget on roads and bridges. The money would come from existing sales taxes on fuel, vehicles and auto parts. Backers say Colorado has failed to adequately fund roads and diverted funds elsewhere. Opponents, including Democrats at the statehouse, say the initiative is a money grab from the contractors that will stifle funding for other key budget priorities such as education and healthcare. Democrats passed a bill that would neutralize the ballot measure’s impact for several years, should voters approve it. For the Colorado Capitol News Alliance, Bente Birkeland brings us the story.

The Blue Sage Art Center in Paonia is celebrating its 30th birthday.

For KVNF, Marty Durlin sat down with Blue Sage executive director Ali Lightfoot to talk about how the center has shaped art and expression in the North Fork Valley for three decades.