40,000 + Acre Pinon Canyon Fire Still 0% Contained

FORT CARSON – The Bridger Fire at the Pion Canyon Maneuver Site in Southeastern Colorado has been held at bay over night and is at approximately 42,000 acres with zero percent reported containment.

At the request of Fort Carson, the Rocky Mountain Type II Incident Management Team Bravo assumed management of the fire at 6 a.m.Friday under the direction of the Forest Service, Colorado State Forestry and Fort Carson.

There are approximately 260 personnel fighting the fire at this time, though additional resources have been ordered and will continue to arrive throughout the next several days. Crews have been performing structure protection for several facilities on the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site and the Rourke Ranch Complex on the Picket Wire Canyonlands, which is just off the northeast corner of the maneuver site.

Residents in the area will continue to see smoke, some heavy at times, over the next several days as crews work toward containment.

“This is a complex interagency effort due to the extreme burning conditions and all agencies are working together exceptionally well to fight this fire,” said Col. Eugene B. Smith, Fort Carson Garrison Commander.