A monsoonal weather system is expected to bring rain to Colorado’s drought-stricken Western Slope in the coming days, dampening wildfires that have charred hundreds of square miles but also raising the risk of flash flooding, gusty winds and lightning.
That includes the La Plata fire burning in the Pike-San Isabel National Forests near Leadville, which was sparked by an abandoned campfire and has grown to 132 acres with no containment. The area received almost half an inch of rain overnight, and growth is slowed because it’s burning over 11,000 feet of elevation, fire officials said Saturday.
U.S. Forest Service officials closed parts of the national forests because of the fire, including the Dexter Point and Sunnyside day-use areas. A map of the full closure area is available online