National park in Colorado remains closed due to wildfire

UPDATE: Friday, July 25: Park staff will reopen the North Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park to the public on Wednesday, July 30. Visitors will be able to access trails, overlooks, and the North Rim Campground.

The South Rim Wildfire, which was ignited by lightning strikes on July 10, remains active within Colorado’s Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The park is coordinating with federal, state, and local partners to manage fire activity and to assess potential post-fire impacts. The park remains closed to visitors until further notice.

At this time, drinking water supplies have not been directly impacted by the fire. A team of Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Service hydrologists and soil scientists are conducting rapid assessments to evaluate risks such as sedimentation and debris flow that could impact water quality.

Once conditions allow, a Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team will be deployed to evaluate post-fire threats including flooding, debris flows, hazardous materials, cultural and historic sites, and hazard trees, as well as impacts to vegetation, wildlife, and recreation.

The BAER team includes specialists from the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Weather Service, and U.S. Forest Service. The National Park Service will share findings and any recommended treatments as they become available.

For updates on fire activity and response efforts, visit  here. For updates on park operations, visit www.nps.gov/blca.

RELATED

• Nearly one in four wildfire fighting roles are still unfilled as RVers flee smoky skies
• National Park Service ranger training centers shut down without warning
• Visitors may not see the strain, but national parks are operating with thinner teams
• What the public doesn’t see in national park budget cuts
• National parks face devastating cuts, with majority in jeopardy
• Interior Secretary orders national parks to stay open amid staffing cuts
• National park visitors face reduced access and services across the country

RVT1219b