A large smoke plume is emerging along the Northern Front Range Tuesday afternoon. It’s likely connected to the Big Meadows Fire in Rocky Mountain National Park.
The fire was caused by lightning and started Monday afternoon.
“We are seeing significant smoke, rapidly increasing in size from the Big Meadows Fire,” said Spokesman Kyle Patterson. “Although this looks like the same location as the Fern Lake Fire in the Forest Canyon area it is from the Big Meadows Fire west of the Continental Divide.”
Patterson says the fire is increasing in size due to winds, low humidity and beetle killed trees.
More updates are expected later today.
Update 3:22 p.m. – The Big Meadows Fire isn’t alone in Colorado; it is one of three blazes. Two other fires, the Royal Gorge Fire and the Black Forest Fire, are burning in southern Colorado. The Gazette has more on the Royal Gorge Fire and the Denver Post is following all three fires in their live blog.
