Weekend traffic on the I-70 mountain corridor has been growing for two consecutive weeks, and with more traffic comes the danger of roadside fires.
In just over a month three-day volume is up almost 38%, from 89,000 cars in mid-May to more than 122,000 cars this past weekend, June 12-14. That is barely busier than the previous weekend and 5% slower than the same weekend last year.
On the evening of Sunday, June 14, a semi-truck caught fire on I-70 at Vail Pass. No injuries were reported and the fire was contained to the semi-trailer, thanks in part to a brief rainstorm.
CDOT says, fires like this are not isolated. In dry, summer months they often spread to nearby grass and, in the most extreme cases, the forest beyond.
Since Memorial Day weekend multiple fires have sparked along I-70 in and around Glenwood Canyon. None of them grew beyond a few hundred square feet, but fire and traffic experts know that can easily change.
“This summer is vastly different compared to others,” Austyn Dineen at CDOT tells Krystal 93. “We need people to be extra vigilant if you are on a road trip, if you are towing a boat to the river, it is really important that we work together.”
CDOT is calling it the “Drive Safe Summer” campaign, partnering with Colorado State Patrol, the Colorado Motor Carriers Association and the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention for new fire-wise education.
“Motorists and travelers are used to hearing from CDOT in the winter, when they hear about chain laws and traction laws,” Dineen says. “This summer is different. We know that we went into this summer with low snowpack and this has real domino effects.”
Memories of Grizzly Creek
Dineen remembers the Grizzly Creek Fire of 2020, when the most devastating fire in modern Glenwood Canyon history burned almost 33,000 acres and closed I-70 for weeks. It was caused by trailer chains dragging on pavement. The very next summer torrential rain soaked the canyon, closing the interstate again and changing the very course of the Colorado River. The remnants of both are on full display in the canyon.
“Wildfires can start from major roadways like I-70, Highway 9 and U.S. 285,” Dineen says. “We want drivers to know what they can do to play their part.”
CDOT’s summer checklists
Available now are summer checklists with simple preventative tips for passenger vehicles, recreational trailers, tractor-trailers and other CMV rigs.
Like the Grizzly Creek Fire, unsecured chains are a top cause of roadside fires. Make sure they are crossed in an “X” beneath your trailer hitch. This prevents dragging and cradles the tongue if it comes undone.
Here is one you might overlook: overheated brakes. Yes, you need to pull over and stop when your brakes are smoking, but do not pull a hot vehicle onto a dry, grassy median or shoulder. This can easily spark a grass fire.
Much of the advice comes down to prevention, Dineen says. Reviewing your rig before you leave makes your road trip safer for everyone.
“It’s going to be a challenging summer,” Dineen says. “If you are headed out on the roadway, do your part.”