Also as of Monday night, the San Juan National Forest Type 3 Incident Management Team assumed control of the Ice Fire. Godson said the team is expected to provide a better idea of the fire\u2019s potential growth, as well as a firefighting strategy, on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
One major challenge, Godson said, is that firefighting resources are extremely limited as wildfires actively burn throughout the West, especially in Colorado and California.<\/p>\n
The Cameron Peak Fire burning near Rocky Mountain National Park, for example, is Colorado\u2019s largest wildfire in recorded history, growing to more than 200,000 acres this past weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cResources are extremely tight,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Immediately after the Ice Fire broke out, South Mineral Road (Forest Service Road 585), a popular area for camping, which leads to the Ice Lakes trailhead, was closed and evacuated.<\/p>\n
About 20 hikers were trapped above the fire and required rescue by helicopter, said San Juan County spokeswoman DeAnne Gallegos.<\/p>\n
Greg Anson of Carbondale was on a day hike to Ice Lake when he noticed a \u201cmassive\u201d plume of smoke around 1 p.m.<\/p>\n
Anson and about 20 other hikers visiting Ice Lake grouped together to decide what to do, debating whether to try to find a way to hike out of the area or wait for help.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a little tension whether to wait or hike,\u201d he said. \u201cSome people didn\u2019t think they could make it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first helicopter landed to rescue the hikers about 30 minutes after the smoke was noticed. It took four flights to extricate the hikers. Anson said he was ferried to safety and landed about 3:15 p.m.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was crazy,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve never been through anything like that.\u201d<\/p>\n No evacuation orders had been issued as of Monday night for the town of Silverton.<\/p>\n Still, some residents were preparing for the worst. Bryon Powell, a Silverton resident and professional runner, said he had prepared Monday in case evacuations are issued.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s grown incredibly over the last hour,\u201d he said at 2:45 p.m. Monday.<\/p>\n Fire danger has remained high in Southwest Colorado during the past few weeks, with Stage 1 fire restrictions in place in the San Juan National Forest.<\/p>\n The Ice Lakes trail is one of the most popular and heavily used in Southwest Colorado.<\/p>\n About 7 miles west of Silverton, the trail, which starts at an elevation of 9,840 feet, climbs a couple thousand feet to two stunning, turquoise alpine lakes: Ice Lake and Island Lake.<\/p>\n The alpine lakes are commonly featured on best hike lists in Colorado and shared on social media. On any given day in the summer, hundreds of people make the trek to the lakes, leading to significant resource damage in recent years.<\/p>\n Godson said it remains unclear what started the fire.<\/p>\n Southwest Colorado has experienced no lightning storms in weeks, said Erin Walter, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.<\/p>\n This week\u2019s weather forecast is not encouraging news for slowing down the fire\u2019s spread, Walter said. Wind gusts were expected to reach up to 30 mph Monday in certain areas, and a weather system moving into the region over the next couple of days is expected to increase wind speeds even more.<\/p>\n \u201cDry and gusty winds are not helpful for any fire growth,\u201d Walter said.<\/p>\n No precipitation is in the forecast this week, save for a slight chance of rain Friday night and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.<\/p>\n Godson said fires typically die down overnight as humidity settles over the region, but because it\u2019s been so dry lately, that may not be the case with the Ice Fire on Monday night into Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n She also cautioned that smoke will affect travel on U.S. Highway 550, and drivers should not stop to take photos of the fire.<\/p>\n \u201c(Highway 550) is going to be impacted by smoke for the duration of this incident,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n An air quality health advisory for wildfire smoke was issued for San Juan County, including Silverton, until 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.<\/p>\n Godson said it is likely surrounding communities will be affected as smoke disperses and settles Monday night.<\/p>\n