Jewell Fire grows to 69 acres northeast of Rifle
Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management/Courtesy
Firefighters continue to battle the Jewell Fire, which began around 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon northeast of Rifle. The blaze, which was initially 15 acres, has grown to approximately 69 acres as of Monday morning, according to an Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management (UCRIFM) Facebook post.
The UCRIFM and Colorado River Fire Rescue (CRFR) have taken unified command of the situation. Three Type 2 handcrews and multiple engines are currently on the scene. Additional handcrews have been ordered to assist. Firefighters will conduct mop-up operations to prevent the fire from spreading to unburned areas outside the fireline. These efforts may continue for several days or even up to a week, depending on the severity of the heat within the fire perimeter, according to the Facebook post.
For the safety of the public and emergency responders, authorities are urging people to avoid the area. No evacuations are currently in place, according to CRFR Public Information Officer Maria Nechkash.
The Post Independent will continue to update this story.
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