Rain and snow slow Mullen and Cameron Peak Fires in Colorado and Wyoming

Very strong, dry winds, and sun are in the forecast

October 11, 2020   |   10:44 p.m. MDT

Big Laramie Volunteer Fire Department Station 4
Photo by Big Laramie Volunteer Fire Department Station 4, in Wyoming near the Mullen Fire.

Rain and snow hit portions of three fires in north-central Colorado Sunday slowing the spread of the Cameron Peak, Middle Fork, and Mullen Fires.

The Mullen Fire which extends across the state line into Wyoming had received one-half to two inches of snow by mid-afternoon Sunday in the higher elevations. The fire has burned 175,535 acres in the two states.

To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Cameron Peak Fire, including the most recent, click here.

The 134,559-acre Cameron Peak Fire, which burned up to the Colorado State University Mountain Campus, received about one inch of snow in the higher elevations.

A weather station near the 17,832-acre Middle Fork Fire north of Steamboat Springs recorded 0.07″ of precipitation Sunday.

Precipitation October 9 through 11, 2020
Precipitation October 11, 2020 through 10 p.m. MDT.

Strong winds are in the forecast for the area through Wednesday. The temperature in the higher elevations of the Mullen Fire will reach about 20 degrees or lower Sunday night. The forecast for Cowdrey, Colorado near the Mullen Fire calls for mostly sunny skies Monday through Wednesday, high temperatures around 60, relative humidity of 20 percent, and afternoon winds gusting at 30 to 50 mph out of the west and southwest.

A small amount of rain or snow is unlikely to completely put out these fires which are mostly burning in timber. It will be interesting to see how much the fuels dry out in the next three days with very strong winds, sun, and low humidities.


UPDATE at 12:10 p.m. MDT October 12, 2020. The satellite photo below shows snow in the mountains of north-central Colorado at 10:56 a.m. MDT October 12, 2020.

Colorado snow mountains fires
Satellite photo showing snow in the mountains of north-central Colorado at 10:56 a.m. MDT October 12, 2020.
Cameron Peak Fire snow
Cameron Peak Fire still burns with snow on the ground, October 11, 2020. Incident Management Team photo.
CSU campus status fire
President of Colorado State University

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

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