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Colorado Grizzly Creek Fire grows to 4,800 acres, forces railway closures

The Grizzly Creek Fire in Colorado grew to 4,800 acres on Wednesday, forcing Union Pacific to close railway tracks in the area. Photo by Garfield County Sheriff's Office 
The Grizzly Creek Fire in Colorado grew to 4,800 acres on Wednesday, forcing Union Pacific to close railway tracks in the area. Photo by Garfield County Sheriff's Office 

Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Union Pacific was forced to close railroad tracks within the area of the Grizzly Creek Fire as the wildfire in Colorado continued to expand on Wednesday.

Fire officials on Wednesday said that the Grizzly Creek Fire has grown to 4,800 acres and spread to the bottom of the No Name Creek canyon.

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In response to the growing blaze, Union Pacific was forced to close tracks in its Glenwood Springs subdivision. The closure forced both Union Pacific and Amtrak to reroute freight and passenger trains from the area.

"We're hoping to have it open again by tomorrow," said Union Pacific representative Kristen South.

Amtrak representative Marc Magliari said the company was forced to turn back two trains Tuesday and reroute them through Wyoming.

"We've frozen ticket sales so we don't have to do as much bus chartering as we might otherwise do," Magliari said.

The Garfield County Sheriff's Office evacuated No Name, High Aspen Rance, Coulter Creek, CR 120 and Cottonwood pass.

The Grizzly Creek Fire began on Monday and quickly grew in size before crossing the Colorado River and Interstate 70 on Tuesday.

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