[UPDATE] Steamboat Ski Resort Turns on 41 Snow Guns as Fishhook Fire Doubles in Size

UPDATE, Monday, July 20, 8 a.m.: Containment is being gained on the fire’s west side, and the fire’s overall activity has stayed low over the past week thanks to sustained work from air and ground crews and favorable weather. The fire is now mapped at 340 acres and appears to be spreading southeast, away from the resort, rather than closer to it. Steamboat Ski Resort says there is no threat to the mountain at this time and there are no resort closures in place. Routt National Forest has eased to Stage 1 fire restrictions, though the resort itself remains under Stage 2. Full details below.

UPDATE, Tuesday, July 14, 6 a.m. PST: The Fishhook Fire grew actively Monday afternoon, spotting ahead of itself and pushing primarily south to within a mile of Highway 40 on Rabbit Ears Pass. The highway remains open, but travelers should expect smoke Tuesday afternoon and a possible closure if fire activity continues to approach the road. Steamboat Ski Resort has closed access to the upper mountain above Thunderhead and says there is no immediate threat to the resort.

The Fishhook Fire broke out Sunday, July 12, near Colorado’s Steamboat Ski Resort, sending a highly visible smoke column over the resort town and drawing an immediate air attack from federal firefighters. Crews reported the blaze at the head of Walton Creek.

The fire sits roughly one mile southeast of the ski area and just under two miles north of Highway 40 at Bruce’s Trailhead on Rabbit Ears Pass. It is burning on Routt National Forest land.

• Related: Feeling the Severe Economic Effects From the Sierra-At-Tahoe, CA, Caldor-Fire-Caused Season Closure

Week of July 20: Containment Growing, Fire Activity Low

As of Monday’s daily update, the Fishhook Fire is mapped at 340 acres, a figure that reflects more precise mapping of the fire’s perimeter rather than a reduction or increase in the fire itself. Fire managers say continued low activity is the result of sustained work by air and ground resources holding the fire in place, aided by favorable weather. Structure protection resources have expanded assessments and preparations around values at risk, and initial attack resources remain staged to respond quickly to any new fire starts.

On the west side of the fire, crews increased containment over the weekend by installing additional hose lay and extinguishing pockets of heat near the fire line, and are continuing to extend hose lay while conducting mop-up. Along the north edge, crews have seen mostly interior burning, with helicopters supporting bucket drops to cool heat near containment lines; the goal this week is to complete the remaining section of line before flying in additional hose and pumps to begin mop-up. On the east flank, crews are building handline and have moved into locating and extinguishing hotspots, cold trailing and mop-up. On the south side, firefighters have installed additional handline and hose lay and continue mop-up and cold trailing to strengthen control lines.

A strengthening high-pressure system is bringing warmer, drier conditions this week, with temperatures approaching 80 degrees at higher elevations, decreasing humidity, and westerly upslope winds through midafternoon before afternoon thunderstorms develop. Outflow gusts of 20 to 25 mph are possible and could locally increase fire behavior, though overall activity is expected to remain low to moderate, primarily creeping and smoldering. Smoke may still be visible in the Walton Creek drainage and surrounding areas.

The Forest Closure Order remains in effect, but Routt National Forest has eased from Stage 2 to Stage 1 fire restrictions. Highway 40 remains open, though motorists should expect increased fire traffic. A Temporary Flight Restriction remains in place over the fire, and the public is asked to keep drones out of the area so firefighting aircraft can keep working. Two pre-evacuation zones remain in effect within the national forest boundary; current status is available on the Routt County Emergency Incident Map.

Steamboat Ski Resort, in an update posted July 17, said it is actively monitoring the fire, which is burning south of the resort boundary, and that there is not a threat to the resort at this time. A Complex Incident Response team is managing the fire. The resort has no closures in place currently, though that could change as conditions evolve, with updates to come via the resort’s website, the Ikon app, and social media. The resort remains under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions and continues to ask guests to report any fire or smoke to (970) 871-5911 or 911. Recent fire spread has trended southeast, away from the resort, rather than closer to it.

Steamboat Ski Resort Closes Upper Mountain

Steamboat Ski Resort announced Monday, July 13, it is closing access to the upper mountain above Thunderhead for the day as fire activity continues nearby. In a statement, the resort said:

“Access to the upper mountain above Thunderhead will be closed today (7/13). Our teams are working with agencies responding to fire activity in the area and while there is no immediate threat to the Resort, we will be limiting access to the upper mountain as we continue to monitor the Fishhook fire located approx. 3 miles from the Resort boundary.”

The resort thanked staff, the community, and first responders for their quick action during what it called a rapidly evolving situation, and asked the public to remain vigilant and report any smoke, fire, or safety concerns immediately. Steamboat Resort is currently under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. Fire or smoke can be reported to (970) 871-5911 or 911.

Monday Evening Fire Update (as of 10 p.m., July 13)

According to the latest update, the fire became active Monday afternoon, spotting ahead of itself and growing primarily to the south. Growth stopped short of Highway 40 but the fire is now within a mile of the roadway; Highway 40 remains open, though travelers should expect smoke Tuesday afternoon and a possible closure if the fire moves closer.

A mapping flight was conducted Monday afternoon, but active fire behavior made the resulting acreage figure unreliable. Officials are now estimating the fire at roughly 200 acres, a very rough figure that will be refined by another mapping flight Tuesday. The fire remains at 0% containment.

Key details from the Monday update:

• 100 personnel are currently assigned to the fire
• Both aerial and ground resources engaged the fire Monday
• Acreage will be updated daily as verified by mapping flights
• Smoke should be expected in surrounding areas, especially down the Walton Creek drainage in the morningsAn incident management team has been ordered
• An area closure for the surrounding national forest is expected soon, but is being adjusted after Monday’s fire growth
• Pre-evacuation questions should be directed to Routt County Emergency Management at (970) 871-8444
• Ski area mountain status is available on Steamboat’s website

Sunday: Fishhook Fire Location and Growth

By Sunday evening, the fire had grown to 94.3 acres, according to a perimeter uploaded to the National Interagency Fire Center and visible on the Watch Duty active fire map. The U.S. Forest Service confirmed a heavy initial aerial response, and four Type I helicopters worked the fire through the afternoon and evening. Ground crews reached the site but face difficult access in the terrain, where they are working to establish an anchor point. Fire managers have ordered additional resources.

Steamboat Ski Resort’s Snowmaking Defense

Steamboat Ski Resort has turned on its snowmaking guns to help defend the mountain, adding moisture to vegetation near the fire to create a more defensible buffer as crews work to contain it. According to Steamboat Radio, the resort is using “41 snowmaking guns to saturate the ground in the Tomahawk and Spike areas, and around Rendezvous Lodge, as a preventative measure.”

A separate blaze, the Green Ridge Fire, ignited Sunday afternoon on private land south of Highway 40, near Stagecoach Reservoir. Routt County ordered evacuations for zones OC-522, OC-523, OC-528 and OC-536, and issued a pre-evacuation alert for zones OC-521, OC-527, OC-529, OC-531, OC-532 and OC-537.

• Related: Fire Destroys Beloved Log Cabin at Aspen Mountain, CO

Officials opened an evacuation center at Soroco High School, 305 Grant Ave. in Oak Creek, running from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday. The site is not set up for overnight stays but offers information and temporary resources, along with parking for campers and trailers. The county asked residents evacuating with pets to call the Routt County Humane Society, since animals are not permitted at the center.

County officials urged anyone under an evacuation order to leave immediately. 

Both fires broke out under hot, dry conditions, with Steamboat Springs temperatures topping 90 degrees Sunday amid low humidity and light winds. No injuries or structural losses had been reported as of Sunday evening, and the cause of either fire has not been released.

The county asked drivers to avoid roads near the Stagecoach area, reserving them for evacuees and emergency responders. Updated information on both fires, including current perimeters and evacuation zones, is available through the Routt County Emergency Map and on InciWeb.

Wildfire threats to ski resorts have grown more frequent in recent years, and several mountains have taken direct hits. Sierra-at-Tahoe, California, remains the starkest example. The Caldor Fire crossed into the resort’s boundary on August 29, 2021, ultimately burning roughly 80 percent of its 2,000 acres and damaging five of its nine lifts along with the maintenance facility. The resort stayed closed for nearly the entire 2021-22 season, and areas like West Bowl still bear the scar today, now skiing as open, mostly treeless terrain.

Idaho’s Tamarack Resort has faced the threat twice in as many years. The Rock Fire ignited from a lightning strike in August 2025 and grew to nearly 3,000 acres, crossing onto Tamarack’s property and burning along its Bliss ski trail before crews stopped it at 50 to 60 acres within the resort boundary. Tamarack used its own snowmaking guns to help protect terrain during the fire, the same tactic Steamboat is deploying now. Ski Apache, New Mexico, has weathered wildfire more than any other U.S. resort: the Little Bear Fire burned 44,330 acres and 254 structures nearby in 2012, and the South Fork and Salt fires forced another evacuation and closure in 2024. Utah’s Eagle Point Resort became the latest to burn this summer, with the Cottonwood Fire destroying its Canyonside Lodge, dozens of cabins and condos, and damaging four of its five chairlifts.

• Related: New Ski Terrain Rises from the Ashes at Tamarack Ski Resort, ID

National Fire Activity by the Numbers

Nationally, firefighters are working to suppress and contain 74 large fires across the country as of July 20, including five new large incidents since the day before. Nearly 19,400 firefighters and support personnel are engaged in fire activity nationwide, including 404 crews, 1,188 engines, and 140 helicopters. So far this year, more than 40,700 fires have burned upwards of 3.9 million acres across the United States, with the Northwest and northern Minnesota posing the largest demand for firefighting resources. Resource assignments are being prioritized based on life and property risk, operational impact, and probability of success.

This is a developing story. SnowBrains will update this article as new information becomes available.