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Fire danger becomes elevated as Black Mountain Fire reaches 58% containment

GRAND COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) – Update (10:37 p.m.) The Black Mountain Fire reached 58% containment by Monday night.

The Grand County Sheriff said in a tweet at 10:09 p.m. that “the entire southern edge of the fire is now contained,” although the size increased slightly to 418 acres.

Original: The National Forest Service says fire danger will be elevated Monday for the Black Mountain Fire due to low humidity, gusty winds, and warmer weather.

The fire is now 48% contained and has burned 416 acres.

On Saturday, fire investigators revealed the fire was started on Aug. 29 by a lightning strike.

Credit: Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests & Thunder Basin National Grassland

On Sunday, the heavy equipment task force used dozers to move debris and improve a secondary line near the eastern edge of the fire to limit future fire growth.

The incident management team said firefighters were sent to a new fire in a hay field about two miles southwest of the Black Mountain Fire on Sunday.

Firefighters were able to knock down the secondary fire within an hour, according to the incident management team.