DELTA, Colo. (July 11, 2025) — The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests, in collaboration with the Telluride Fire Department, is actively suppressing a fire near Sawpit, Colorado, below Mountain Village.
The Grey Head Fire was reported early Friday morning, following its ignition from a dry lightning storm that occurred in the early hours Thursday.
Smoke and flames are currently visible from Highway 145, Telluride and Mountain Village. Emergency response teams are on-site, but access is severely restricted due to the steep, rocky terrain. To ensure the safety of ground crews, the Forest Service’s Norwood Ranger District has deployed a heavy helicopter to facilitate water drops on the fire. To overcome the challenge of ground inaccessibility, the helicopter has deployed 5,000 gallons of water from above. The small fire continues to be assessed to stop any further spread of the natural ignition fire.
Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available on the forest website, X and Facebook.
About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most
