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Fire burning north of Colorado state line, sending smoke into Routt County

North Fork Fire in WY_June 8 2021
Posted at 5:12 PM, Jun 09, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-09 19:12:33-04

ROUTT COUNTY, Colo. — Smoke has been settling around the Steamboat Springs area this week as a wildfire burns just north of the Colorado state line in Wyoming.

The North Fork Fire is burning about two miles north of Routt County across the border.

The fire was started by lightning on Monday, according to the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center.

It is burning in beetle kill.

Bill Roach, the dispatch center manager in Casper, Wyoming, told Steamboat Radio the fire was burning in a "really nasty spot that's barely accessible." He said it's not a typical place people visit and is about 0.75-1 mile away from any road.

North Fork Fire in WY_June 7 2021_Casper Interagency Dispatch Center

As of Monday, the fire had burned 15 to 20 acres, and no structures were threatened, Roach said.

On Tuesday, Aaron Voos with the U.S. Forest Service at the Medicine Bow National Forest told Steamboat Radio crews' efforts are looking good.

"Definitely not calling it done by any means, but making good progress," he said.

Air support that dropped water and fire retardant really slowed it down, he said Tuesday. Roach said the aircraft may come into Routt County.

On Tuesday, they were able to hike two 20-person crews to the fire, who were on the ground working to get fire lines in place, Voos said.