The Sapphire Complex is comprised of the Little Hogback, Goat Creek and Sliderock fires. According to Fire Information Officer Sara Rouse, some fires are being controlled better than others.

“We have made really good progress on the Goat Creek fire,” said Rouse. “It is currently at 75% contained. The Sliderock fire has also had little to no growth every day, usually between five to 20 acres if anything. Most of our operational focus has been on the Little Hogback fire.”

Rouse says the Little Hogback fire has spread a couple thousand acres over the past few days and that crews are waiting for the fire to get to a place where they can do something with it. Multiple evacuation and pre-evacuation orders have been put in place due to the size of the Sapphire Complex.

“There are still some pre-evacuation warnings up near the Goat Creek fire on that lower end of Rock Creek,” Rouse said. “There is still a mandatory evacuation for the Sliderock fire area and then along that southern end, there is some pre-evacuation from the Butte Cabin south to Hogback.”

There is also a mandatory evacuation order from Hogback Homestead south to Stony Creek and the Sliderock Mountain area. Rouse says the total acreage of these three fires is over 27,000 and that the current cost is around $14 million.

More From Newstalk KGVO 1290 AM & 98.3 FM