gOLD mOUNTAIN fIRE uPDATE – 7/18/26

Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2
Incident Commander Rodney Redinger
Phone (public and media inquiries): 970-355-3286 Email:2026.goldmountain@firenet.gov

Safety Message: Increasing thunderstorm activity can bring flash floods in minutes after heavy rain, often in areas with steep terrain or recently burned land. Burned soil can be as water repellent as pavement, causing rainfall to run off extremely quickly and increase flood risk. Debris and ash left from the fire can form hazardous mudflows. “Turn Around, Don’t Drown”: Driving into floodwater is extremely dangerous — even 12 inches can sweep away a vehicle, and 6 inches can sweep away a person.

Current Conditions: Fire activity is greatest at high elevations in continuous mixed conifer stands with substantial dead and down and standing dead trees. Unburned areas within the fire perimeter above 10,000 feet contain open meadows and rocky ridges providing limited opportunity for long range spotting from the mixed conifer stands below. This reduces the chance for spread across the high ridgelines and mountaintops.
Established containment lines are holding as internal fuels are consumed and intermittently create visible smoke. Extremely dry logs, and snags are the main fuels burning within the fire perimeter. Divisions are being consolidated along the western edge of the fire perimeter, allowing crews and equipment to be diverted to areas of the fire where the containment has yet to be established.

Although aspects of the Gold Mountain Fire will take weeks to resolve, crews are taking advantage of this period of favorable weather to strengthen defensible lines and prepare for potential increase in fire activity. Logging trucks will be active, removing downed hazard trees along Forest Road 858 toward Silver Jack Reservoir. Travelers in the area should be on the lookout.

Today, a burned area emergency response (BAER) team will begin evaluating burn severity, preparing maps of the burn severity and preparing mitigations such as reseeding for approval by Agency Administrators and implementation by crews.

Weather and Fire Behavior: Lightning, brief heavy rains remain the biggest concerns. Although thunderstorms will have less storm energy and less moisture, residual moisture and cooler temperatures will inhibit fire spread.
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.

Size: 37,809 acres | Containment: 13% | Cause: Undetermined | Start Date: June 27, 2026 @ 5:33p.m.
Location: Approx. 2 miles NE of Ouray, CO | Total Personnel: 876