Cause of Galena Fire West of Fort Collins Revealed
I was in Estes Park (getting married) when I first caught news of the Galena Fire burning just West of Horsetooth Reservoir. All I could think was, "I hope this isn't another High Park Fire." Luckily, the Galena Fire is now fully contained, and the cause of the blaze has been discovered.
Investigators say the wildfire that started shortly before 11:30 a.m. March 15 was caused near the entrance of Lory State Park when an area resident was trying to make an electrical connection for (an electric) fence. The spark ignited nearby dry grass, setting off a weekend firefight to keep the blaze within the park and away from homes.
[via The Coloradoan.]
It doesn't look like anyone will be brought up on criminal charges for starting the fire. It was just an accident.
Lory State Park, where the fire burned over 1,300 acres, remains closed as burned bridges are being rebuilt.