Gold Mountain Fire Grows to 39,646 Acres, Containment Drops to 87% Near Ouray

Description: The Gold Mountain Fire near Ouray is 39,646 acres and 87% contained as crews target significant heat on Cimarron Ridge and monitor the eastern perimeter...


Published: 08/12/2026
Byline: SECO News

Fire Update – Gold Mountain Fire
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 – 8:00 a.m.
Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2
Rodney Redinger, Incident Commander
 
Information Phone: 970-355-3286
Email: 2026.goldmountain@firenet.gov
 
Information Staffing Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Size: 39,646 acres | Containment: 87% | Cause: Undetermined | Start Date: June 27, 2026 @ 5:33p.m. | Location: Approx. 2 miles NE of Ouray, CO | Total Personnel: 134
 
Safety Message: Roads leading into the fire area remain closed for firefighter and public safety, due to the presence of firefighters, trucks, heavy equipment, and other incident traffic. Public presence within the closed area results in roadway congestion, distracts firefighters’ focus from their objectives, and could delay emergency responders in the event of a firefighter injury. Please avoid closed areas to ensure the safety of fire personnel.
 
Current Situation: Gold Mountain Fire has already been a long-duration incident, and it can be expected to show smoke and periodic flare ups during periods of warm, dry weather over the coming months. The fire continues to hold significant pockets of heat on top of Cimarron Ridge and along the eastern perimeter of the fire. These areas could become more active under warm, dry, and windy conditions, potentially growing beyond the existing perimeter.
 
Tatanka Hotshots worked in the Cimarron Ridge area yesterday, to secure the fire edge and reduce potential for the fire to follow available fuels to the north. Type 1 helicopters were used to deliver approximately 20,000 gallons of water to help cool areas of intense heat in support of ground resources. Expected thunderstorm activity will likely prevent the crew’s access to Cimarron Ridge today. Suppression repair and road grading activities are ongoing in Division P/R/U. Operational planners are tracking fire activity in the Middle and East Forks of the Cimarron River and considering potential strategic actions for containment should the fire progress to the east.
 
Weather and Fire Behavior: Thunderstorm activity is expected to begin earlier and deliver several rounds of showers today and overnight tonight, with a 70% chance of precipitation, with most rain falling overnight. Temperatures are expected to be cooler with higher relative humidity.
 
A continued increase in atmospheric moisture is predicted over the next several days, which will bring good chances of precipitation through the week.
 
Closure Orders: Closure orders are still in effect throughout areas of the Gold Mountain Fire. For current closure information, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/.../gold-mountain-wildfire-area....
 
No Fly Zone: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the Gold Mountain and Elk Fire areas is in effect. Flying drones near the fire is prohibited and can interfere with firefighting aircraft, potentially grounding aerial suppression operations. For more information on safe drone operations, visit knowbeforeyoufly.org. For information on the TFR visit https://tfr.faa.gov.
 
For More Information:
Information Phone: 970-355-3286
Email: 2026.goldmountain@firenet.gov
 


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