Bee Hive fire and Paradox Trail fire continue to spread
The Bee Hive fire in Montrose County’s West End has continued to grow. As of yesterday at 5pm, it had grown to approximately 319 acres and was 0% contained.
Tuesday’s strong winds contributed to increased fire activity and growth on both incidents. As of yesterday, firefighters and aviation resources were continuing to work in steep, rugged terrain to slow fire spread, identify opportunities for containment, and improve access for incoming resources. Air resources remain actively engaged, supporting suppression efforts with water and retardant drops.
Type 3 Incident Management Teams have been established to support operations on both fires due to increasing complexity.
Additional information is available on the Facebook page for BLM - Southwest Colorado Fire and Aviation Management Unit.
A second fire, the Paradox Trail fire, was detected during the efforts to fight the Bee Hive Vire on Monday. The Paradox Trail fire is in south Mesa County, and was estimated at 52.4 acres at 2pm yesterday.
KVNF will keep you informed if the fires continue to spread.
Jared Polis nominates three new Colorado Parks and Wildlife commissioners
According to the Colorado Sun, Polis nominated three commissioners earlier this year, but two of them did not receive enough support from the State Senate, which must confirm the appointees. Their nominations had faltered over a lack of confidence from the state’s hunting and fishing community to represent its interests and a belief among some sportspeople that Polis was trying to stack the commission with people pushing an agenda tilted toward conservation and animal rights. This time around, Polis appointed a fly-fishing entrepreneur and conservationist, a big-game hunting veterinarian and a researcher studying human-wildlife coexistence. The new appointees are drawing some of the same criticism from hunting groups as their predecessors did, but the two conservationist candidates are receiving support from conservation groups.
The three will be active commission members with voting authority prior to their confirmation hearings in July 2027.
Error in city budget leaves Montrose DART short $250,000
The Montrose Daily Press reports that an error in the city’s final budget for last year has left Montrose’s Development and Revitalization Team short almost $250,000. According to Michelle Wingfield, the city’s community initiatives manager, an incorrect amount was written in the “Professional/Contract Services” line item in the city budget. That line item represents the largest source of the team’s funding and pays for programs including grants for buildings and small business owners.
The council will address the situation at an upcoming workshop June 15 at 10 a.m. and likely at a later regular meeting. Wingfield stated that council can easily vote to rectify the situation and restore the intended funding, and hopes members of the community will show up to the upcoming meetings to show their support for DART’s mission.
GEO Group sues the state over a new law requiring health and safety inspections
GEO group, which owns immigration detention facilities across the country, says Colorado’s law is Unconstitutional because it infringes on federal immigration authority and violates the supremacy clause and that the activities of the
Federal Government are free from regulation by any state.. GEO is asking the courts to block the law’s implementation. Governor Jared Polis recently signed the bill into law. Backers of the law say they have heard disturbing reports of unsafe and unhealthy living conditions for immigrants in detention and say GEO should be able to prove they meet the basic levels of care.
Grand Mesa Art Center Songwriter Symposium
The third annual Songwriter Festival in Cedaredge was June 5-7, with headliner Rodney Crowell as a special guest. Crowell’s concert sold out within hours but KVNF was there to enjoy some of the songwriter rounds. Marty Durlin reports.
