Lightning strike delays work on Elk Fire last week
Firefighters working on the Elk Fire faced a significant challenge last Wednesday– lightning struck approximately 2.5 miles north of the Elk Fire perimeter. The lightning ignited a new fire, named the Steep Fire. It was declared contained and controlled by Thursday afternoon.
The Elk Fire is burning in areas dense with spruce, fir, and pine, that have been parched from extreme drought. Officials say the area has no recorded history of large fires, meaning a large amount of fuel has built up over a long period of time.
Large pieces of fuel can continue to hold and conceal heat from the fire through heavy rain, and will continue to burn until a season-ending event occurs – typically, snowfall.
Gunnison County to stop cooperation with ICE
Gunnison County Sheriff Adam Murdie has announced that his office will cease ICE cooperation at the Gunnison County Jail.
He made the announcement at an August 4th Gunnison County Commission meeting. Leading up to the announcement, attendees used public comment to criticize ICE and urge local officials to take action.
In regards to ICE officers breaking the law, he said “I don't have a problem or a hesitation arresting an ICE agent that's doing something illegal.”
Last week, Murdie said in an online post that he has been facing significant pushback. He wrote, quote, “Under the legal doctrine of Anti-Commandeering, the federal government cannot compel local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law or honor civil detainers. Accordingly, I have made the decision to cease ICE cooperation at the Gunnison County Jail. We will continue to collaborate with federal agencies on standard public safety matters, but local jail resources will remain focused on local laws.”
He also pushed back on his critics, writing, “My oath is to uphold the Constitution of the United States, as well as the Constitution and laws of the State of Colorado. As the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia noted, the Constitution 'says what it says and doesn't say what it doesn't say.'"
Earlier this year, KVNF reported that ICE agents were breaking Colorado law by arresting individuals coming to or leaving the Montrose County Courthouse and detaining people without a warrant signed by a judge. For more background on ICE activity in the region, check out our Local Motion episode on the topic.
A forest drier than kiln-dried lumber — and the tree that slowed the fire
The Gold Mountain fire perimeter is almost 40 thousand acres, and is 87% contained. But that does NOT mean that 40 thousand acres of forest is fully burned. Much of the land inside the fire perimeter was not touched by fire, and remains green. KVNF's Brody Wilson takes us inside the fire perimeter once again for the final piece in our series from our visit to the edge of the Gold Mountain Fire, where we learn why the aspen tree is the firefighters friend.
