Afternoon traffic west of Glenwood Springs hit a hard stop on Tuesday when a fast-moving brush fire forced Interstate 70 to close in both directions. The blaze broke out in South Canyon near mile marker 112, sending helicopters scrambling to scoop water from the Colorado River while ground crews picked their way across steep, rocky slopes. Drivers were left sitting in long backups as officials shut the corridor down for safety. High winds added to the chaos, complicating aerial attacks and forcing firefighters to keep tweaking their game plan.
Crews call for air support
The Glenwood Springs Fire Department told Colorado Public Radio that two helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft were on the way, using buckets dipped from the Colorado River. Gusty conditions, however, sidelined the fixed-wing planes. Colorado Public Radio reported the department initially pegged the fire at about 20 acres before revising that estimate as visibility improved.
Size and access challenges
The local Post Independent kept a running update as the afternoon wore on, reporting that the incident had been named the Paradise Creek Fire and that roughly 40 firefighters were on scene in what was described as “super steep and rocky” terrain. Post Independent quoted Glenwood Springs Fire PIO Mina Bolton saying crews reestimated the fire at 8 to 10 acres and noted that a Type 1 helicopter was hammering the flames with water drops. When asked about the possibility of evacuations, Bolton did not rule anything out, saying, “Anything’s possible.”
Local TV station KKCO reported that I-70 was closed at about 3:24 p.m. Tuesday between US 6 and Exit 114, roughly mile markers 109 to 112. Colorado River Fire Rescue was assisting Glenwood Springs crews along the corridor. KKCO said early acreage estimates hovered near 15 acres before being revised downward.
Why Glenwood Canyon is especially vulnerable
Hot, dry, and windy weather had already pushed fire danger higher in Glenwood Canyon this week, with several smaller fires cropping up along the busy corridor, according to the Denver Gazette. The area has a well-earned reputation for travel meltdowns, most notably the 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire that shut I-70 for weeks and rippled through the region’s economy and tourism. Inside Climate News has detailed the shutdown and its broader impacts on western Colorado.
Travelers and next steps
According to Post Independent, officials noted that detour options are limited in the tight confines of Glenwood Canyon, and the Colorado Department of Transportation had not yet announced a formal extended detour while crews battled the fire. People planning to drive through the area were urged to keep a close eye on local alerts and transportation updates for any changes.
Real-time closure and travel information is available through the City of Glenwood Springs alert feed at the Glenwood Springs website and through I-70 travel pages maintained by CDOT, which are carrying the latest on closures and advisories.
