Dadd Gulch Fire Reaches 100% Containment

Crews Keep Remote Larimer County Wildfire Under One Acre

By North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com

LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — The Dadd Gulch Fire is now 100% contained after wildland firefighters and aircraft worked in steep, heavily vegetated terrain to keep the fire from growing beyond one acre.

The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday that the U.S. Forest Service had reported full containment. Crews continued mop-up operations Tuesday, searching for and extinguishing remaining hot spots.

The fire was reported Monday in the 30,000 block of Colorado Highway 14 near Bellvue. It was initially estimated at approximately 0.25 acre.

As crews responded, authorities issued a Level 2 “Set” evacuation warning for the Salt Cabin/Forest Road 259 area north of Crown Point Road. The warning area extended from Forest Road 139A on the west to Pingree Park Road on the east, with Forest Road 139 forming the southern boundary.

A Level 2 warning tells residents to be prepared to evacuate on short notice if conditions worsen.

Firefighters faced particularly difficult conditions simply reaching the incident. According to the Sheriff’s Office, crews made a steep 60- to 90-minute trek through dense vegetation to reach the fire.

Despite the rugged terrain, wildland firefighters and aviation resources prevented significant growth and ultimately kept the fire under one acre.

The response included the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office Phantom Canyon wildland crew, other firefighters, air resources and cooperating agencies.

Officials credited the coordinated response and work in difficult conditions with limiting the fire’s spread.

Source: Larimer County Sheriff’s Office; U.S. Forest Service, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland