Scott Condon/The Aspen Times
Colorado Parks and Wildlife invested funds several years ago into sprucing up Lake Christine, but problems have plagued the area.
Scott Condon/The Aspen Times
Chewed up asphalt covers the parking lot at Lake Christine.
Scott Condon/The Aspen Times
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is pursuing additional safety improvements at the Basalt Shooting Range but does not plan any operational changes this year if drought and fire danger grow.
CPW area wildlife manager Matt Yamashita told the Basalt Town Council on Tuesday night that CPW moved heavy equipment onto the Basalt State Wildlife Area earlier in the day for fire mitigation. A bulldozer and heavy excavator will widen and clear an old road that was used years ago to install power lines. The road will fill a duel role of providing a firebreak and access to the upper reaches of state lands for emergency responders. The road is upslope from the pistol, rifle and shotgun ranges.
CPW pursues fire mitigation at Basalt shooting range vaildaily.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from vaildaily.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Update 2 p.m.: Fire crews have contained a fire that broke out this morning near Old Clear Creek Road near the top of Spooner Summit, and Highway 50 has reopened.
The fire was last reported to be about 1.5 acres in size, and there was one home in the area that was threatened. Light winds and cool temperatures helped firefighters get a handle on the blaze, with a helicopter dumping water to help out the hand crews on the ground.
The fire is about a mile from the top of Spooner Summit, along the upper portion of Old Clear Creek Road. This road has been cut off to vehicle traffic for several years, and in places has disintegrated into little more than a path. The area is used by many hikers and mountain bikers, and some people have been known to camp in the area.
Forest officials to talk restoration of Fork Fire burn area mtdemocrat.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mtdemocrat.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.