MONTROSE COUNTY, Colo. ( KREX ) – The South Rim Wildfire continues to burn in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, with lightning strikes igniting the blaze back on July 10.
Efforts are underway as the park collaborates with local, state, and federal partners to manage the fire and assess potential post-fire impacts. Access to the park remains restricted for visitors until further notice, while the drinking water supplies have not been directly affected yet. Assessment teams comprising U.S. Forest Service and Department of Interior hydrologists and soil scientists are on the ground to evaluate the risk of debris flow and sedimentation threatening water quality.
A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team will be deployed once conditions allow, focusing on post-fire hazards such as debris flow, hazard trees, impacts on various aspects including recreation, wildlife, vegetation, potential flooding, hazardous substances, and preservation of historic and cultural sites.
The BAER team consists of officials from multiple agencies including the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Weather Service. Further updates and information will be shared by the National Park Service in due course.
