The East Troublesome Fire, which broke out on 14 October, has now burned 170,000 acres (68,800 hectares) and was only about five per cent contained as of Thursday afternoon, incident commander Noel Livingston said at a news briefing.
The flames have spread into Rocky Mountain National Park, prompted the National Park Service to close the entire 415 square-mile (668-square-km) expanse and the blaze has become the second-largest on record in Colorado.
The closure of the national park is in addition to more than one million acres of wilderness in Colorado that the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and state authorities have deemed off limits to the public.
The National Weather Service was forecasting continued hot, dry, windy conditions in much of Colorado, but snow and much colder weather are expected this weekend.
Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin has ordered evacuations in the area, including the tiny lakeside community of Grand Lake, which has a population of about 470.
The fire is among the latest in a brutal fire season following a long period of drought across Colorado. The cause remains under investigation.
Further north, the Cameron Peak Fire has been burning since mid-August, setting the state record for largest wildfire. It has burned more than 207,000 acres (83,770 hectares) overall and scorched swaths of Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.
The two fires are just 18 km (11 miles) apart, but Mr Livingston said it was unlikely they could merge into a massive conflagration.
On Tuesday, helicopters rescued 23 hikers and three dogs from San Juan National Forest where the small but dangerous Ice Fire had broken out on Monday in Colorado’s southwestern corner near the small former mining town of Silverton.
Colorado relaxes mask mandate and limits on gatherings
Colorado health officials have announced plans to loosen the state’s mask mandate and limits on gatherings.
The Colorado health department said it was giving more local control to counties as Covid vaccination eligibility in the state increases.
Officials say that for most of the state masks will still be needed for indoor public places with 10 or more people, and capacity restrictions will stay in place.
But new proposals would allow authorities and “private entities” in counties with the lowest infection rates to decide whether masks will be required.
It would bring to an end most restrictions on capacity for restaurants, retailers and outdoor events.
Currently only to counties in the state, rural Crowley and Otero counties, met the requirements of fewer than 15 cases per 100,000 in a week.
The majority of the state is in the next tier up, while Denver is two levels higher than the least restrictive level.
“Because of the commitment of all Coloradans, we are where we are now, able to be less restrictive and provide local communities and their public health agencies more control while still protecting the public’s health,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
“It’s all about a balance. We’ve enacted the restrictions we need to slow the disease while attempting to limit the ramifications of closing down parts of the state and the impacts that come with that.”
Health officials have proposed the changes as nearly 80 per cent of people over the age of 70 have now been vaccinated.
