Gold Mountain Fire Holds at 24% Containment as Crews Begin Suppression Repair

Description: The Gold Mountain Fire remains at 38,044 acres and 24% containment as crews strengthen firelines, protect structures and prepare for thunderstorms and possible flash flooding...


Published: 07/22/2026
Byline: SECO News

Gold Mountain Fire Update - July 22, 2026
 
Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2
Incident Commander Rodney Redinger
 
Size: 38,044 acres | Containment: 24% | Cause: Undetermined | Start Date: June 27, 2026 @ 5:33p.m.
Location: Approx. 2 miles NE of Ouray, CO | Total Personnel: 900
 
Safety Message: Predicted thunderstorms may produce lightning, strong outflow winds, and heavy precipitation. Road work south of Ouray and potential flash flooding during heavy rains may present additional hazards for firefighters and the public. Remain cautious and vigilant when traveling local roadways.
 
Current Conditions: Fire activity remained low to moderate yesterday, with isolated torching observed in the Middle Fork Cimarron drainage. Protection of structures and critical infrastructure remain high-priority objectives for all divisions. In Division F, H, K, P, R, and U, crews continue to improve indirect primary and secondary containment lines using heavy equipment and hand tools, and chipping logs, branches, and slash produced by containment line construction. In the East Fork drainage, crews are clearing brush along the creek bottom to reduce hazardous fuels while installing pumps, sprinklers, and hoses to wet the valley bottom. This approach aims to minimize impacts to wilderness values.
 
As containment increases, firefighters are beginning suppression repair and backhauling unneeded equipment. Crews are constructing earthen water bars, returning hoses and pumps to the supply cache, and extinguishing residual areas of heat near containment lines. Along U.S. Forest Service Road 858 trucks are transporting felled timber that was removed to create a fuel break adjacent to the sub-division near Cimarron Creek.
 
Weather and Fire Behavior: Increased atmospheric moisture continues to stall significant fire activity. Monsoonal moisture will be present over the next 48 hours. During this time, lightning due to thunderstorms as well as erratic outflows of wind have the potential to exacerbate fire behavior. However, moderate to minimal fire behavior is expected. Smoldering and creeping may be observed. The trend of scattered storms and showers in the afternoon will continue until Friday when the start of a slight warming trend is anticipated. Current forecasts do not reflect extended drying trends.
 
Air Quality – Scan the QR code at the top for the link to the current Gold Mountain Fire Smoke Outlook report.
 
Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR): To get the exact restricted airspace over the Gold Mountain Fire, go to: tfr.faa.gov. The NOTAM Number is FDC 6/5451.
 
#goldmountainfire Information
Phone: (970) 355-3286 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.)
Email: 2026.goldmountain@firenet.gov
Facebook: Gold Mountain Fire
 


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