Colorado wildfires: Turner Gulch fire explodes to 8,100 acres in Mesa County, 'extreme fire behavior' expected

Lauren Penington, The Denver Post on Jul 15, 2025

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DENVER — The Turner Gulch fire burning southwest of Grand Junction in western Colorado exploded overnight, more than quintupling in size, according to fire officials.

The 8,140-acre wildfire is now the largest burning in Colorado, and more “extreme fire behavior” is expected Tuesday, fire officials said.

When it was last mapped Monday afternoon, it had only spread to 1,470 acres, according to the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit.

The Turner Gulch fire has not yet reached the size of the nearly 13,000-acre Deer Creek fire burning in eastern Utah, which crossed the Colorado border Monday night, according to Utah fire officials.

While it’s unclear how far the Deer Creek fire has spread into western Colorado, the four other wildfires in the area have already destroyed at least 14,651 acres, according to fire agencies.

An air quality advisory was issued Tuesday morning by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for wildfire smoke.

The advisory will last through at least 9 a.m. Wednesday and covers Mesa, Delta, San Juan, Montrose, San Miguel, Ouray, Gunnison and Hinsdale counties.

“The best chance for smoke is expected in areas near and downwind of the fires,” the department’s Air Pollution Control Division stated. “Westerly to northwesterly winds are forecast for today. This means that locations east and southeast of the fires are likely to see the worst of it.”

Deer Creek fire near Paradox

Utah’s Deer Creek fire grew nearly 3,000 acres between Monday and Tuesday and slowly spread across the Colorado border, Utah fire officials said.

As of Tuesday morning, the fire was burning on 12,906 acres in eastern Utah and western Colorado and was 7% contained, according to fire officials. That’s a 2,848-acre increase from Monday morning’s size estimate.

It’s unknown how much the fire’s burned inside Colorado, but Utah fire officials said it crossed into the state near Paradox, just north of Colorado 90.

Thunderstorms and erratic winds forecast for the area Tuesday afternoon could increase fire activity, according to Utah Fire Info, a task force that partners with state and federal agencies.

South Rim fire near Montrose

The wildfire burning in and near Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park grew to nearly 4,000 acres Monday night, according to fire officials.

As of Monday, the South Rim fire had consumed 3,988 acres with no containment, according to federal officials.

The wildfire, burning about 15 miles northeast of Montrose, is one of four fires sparked by lightning during a Thursday storm and still burning.

Those fires and the Deer Creek fire together prompted Colorado Gov. Jared Polis to issue a verbal disaster declaration on Sunday.

South Rim fire officials are hosting a community meeting in Grace Community Church at 16731 Woodgate Road in Montrose. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

Turner Gulch fire and Wright Draw fire near Gateway

Two wildfires burning southwest of Grand Junction in Mesa County have destroyed nearly 8,500 acres, according to the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit.

The Turner Gulch fire ballooned overnight, spreading from 1,470 acres Monday afternoon to 8,140 acres Tuesday morning, according to fire officials.

The nearby Wright Draw fire, on the other side of Unaweep Canyon, grew from 249 acres Monday to 341 acres Tuesday, according to a morning update.

“Extreme drought conditions, steep terrain and hot and dry weather will continue to challenge firefighters on the Turner Gulch and Wright Draw fires,” officials stated in the update. “Yesterday, the Turner Gulch Fire pushed approximately eight miles to the east and remained very active through the night.”

Fire officials said “extreme fire behavior” is expected again Tuesday afternoon as the wind shifts direction. Dry thunderstorms in the area could add to those winds.

Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 assumed command of both fires Tuesday morning.

Colorado 141 is closed between mile marker 120 and mile marker 124 for the fire, officials said. The public is asked to avoid the area.

The area around Colorado 141 from mile marker 120 to mile marker 131 was evacuated, officials said. The following stretch between mile markers 131 and 137 remains under pre-evacuation orders.

No new evacuation orders had been issued Tuesday morning.

Sowbelly fire near Delta

The wildfire burning in the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area on the edge of three western Colorado counties was still sitting at 2,274 acres Monday night, according to fire officials.

No containment has been made on the Sowbelly fire, which is burning in parts of Montrose, Delta and Mesa counties, fire officials said.

The Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area is about 12 miles west of Delta.

More than 70 fire personnel remained in the field Monday evening to battle the flames, according to fire officials.

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