Kyle Mills / Rifle Citizen Telegram
Windy weather Friday afternoon and continued dry conditions have caused the Middle Mamm Fire burning in a remote area 10 miles south of Rifle to blow up.
The fire first started in late July and was caused by lightning. It is now estimated at 322 acres, and is being managed by the U.S. Forest Service to improve forest health and wildlife habitat by clearing fire fuels in the area.
“Recent dry, windy weather has cured fuels and increased active fire behavior and potential for growth on the Middle Mamm Fire,” the Forest Service said in a Friday afternoon news release.
As a result, the Rifle Ranger District of the White River National Forest and the Grand Valley Ranger District of the adjacent Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests in both Mesa and Garfield counties have issued a temporary emergency area closure in the vicinity of the fire.
The closure area on the White River National Forest includes several miles of Forest Service Trail (FST) 2160, from the West Mamm drainage to the intersection of the Battlements Trail (FST 2160) and Forest Service Road 271 straddling the national forest boundaries.
The closure area on the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison side also includes approximately 2 miles of the Battlement Trail (FST 527), which is now closed between the intersection with the Brush Creek Trail (FST 529) and East Brush Creek Trail (FST 504).
This closure is to remain in effect until Dec. 31, or until it is rescinded, according to the release.
