Single Publication

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Media Contact:

Public Information Officer, 970-823-4060

New Fire Start - Bucktail

Nucla, Colorado, August 1, 2024

Name: Bucktail

Location: Approximately six miles northeast of Nucla, CO

Size: Approximately 1,760 acres (MMA mapped)

Cause: Unknown

Jurisdiction: Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and United States Forest Service (USFS).

Containment: 0%

Threatened Structures: 0

At approximately 1120 a.m. Thursday, August 1, the Bucktail Fire was reported on private land in the Bucktail drainage, about 6.5 miles northeast of Nucla near County Road 25. The fire quickly spread onto BLM and later USFS ownerships. The fire was mapped by the DFPC Multi-Mission Aircraft (MMA) at 1,760 acres size burning in pinyon pine, juniper and oak brush. It has a very high spread potential and is exhibiting extreme fire behavior. This is a slope and fuel-driven fire. Multiple firefighting resources aggressively responded including eleven aircraft including one very large, four large, and four single-engine air tankers, two helicopters; five engines including one from Telluride and one from the Nucla Naturita Fire Department, one 16-person Job Corp Buzzard Creek hand crew, and Montrose County dozers. Fire managers are on scene. The fire is zero percent contained. Two more hand crews are en route.

Smoke may be visible in the area for the next several days. Zero structures are threatened. The County Road 25 Mesa is now closed due to emergency operations on the Bucktail Fire. The closure extends from the 25 Mesa/Divide Road intersection to where the pavement starts on 25 Mesa outside of Nucla (https://www.facebook.com/MontroseCountySO). In the interest of public safety, fire officials ask visitors to be aware of fire traffic and avoid the area. Firefighter and public safety are the priorities for this incident.

Fire managers would like to remind forest users to continue to be attentive of their actions and surroundings, especially in areas with dry vegetation or dead/down trees. Practice smart wildfire prevention behavior, including never leaving a campfire unattended, using established campfire rings, picking safe and proper campfire sites, and ensuring that their fires are completely out and cool to the touch by using the drown, stir and feel method.

For additional information:

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/coupd-bucktail-fire

Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control: https://dfpc.colorado.gov

Bureau of Land Management Southwest Colorado District, Uncompahgre Field Office: https://www.facebook.com/BLMMontroseFireUnit

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests Fire Information Hotline: (970) 874-6602

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests website: www.fs.usda.gov/gmug

West Slope Fire Information website: www.WestSlopeFireInfo.com

GMUG Fire Info Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GMUGFireInfo 

Twitter: https://x.com/GMUG_NF