Colorado Wildfire Allowed to Burn

RANGELY, Colo. (AP) -- A wildfire grew by 400 acres Thursday as fire managers let the fire clear the forest of dead branches, logs, and brush.

The fire in a remote area of northwest Colorado's Rio Blanco County had scorched 1,050 acres, said Jen Chase, a fire information officer with the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center.

Meanwhile, a Hot Shot crew and two single-engine air tankers were battling a 60-acre blaze near Craig, Chase said.

In southwestern Colorado, a fire was also burning on 311 acres in a remote area of the San Juan National Forest north of Dolores. However fire managers say most of the smoke that can be seen in the area is coming from several large wildfires burning in Arizona.