Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has temporarily closed boating access at Echo Canyon Reservoir to allow aircraft to safely operate while scooping water to fight the ongoing Rio Blanco Fire.
Helicopter teams are actively dipping buckets into the reservoir when conditions allow for aerial support. To maximize the ability of fire personnel to utilize water from Echo Canyon Reservoir State Wildlife Area, CPW has closed the water to all vessels.
Hiking and shore fishing are still permitted at this time. CPW asks the public to respect the closures to prevent the entire property from needing to be closed.
“This administrative closure will assist the operations folks in being able to quickly and safely respond to this fire,” said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Adrian Archuleta. “We still want to provide an opportunity for the public to fish the lake from the shore, but it is important for the safety of air support that nobody be on the lake at this time. This includes not only motorized boats but also hand-launched vessels such as kayaks, canoes and paddleboards.
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