The blaze started decades ago when an old pile of coal waste spontaneously combusted, according to the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety.
The smoldering 35-foot-high, football field-sized site is on private land in Fremont County, about nine miles southwest of Florence. It was left behind by mining operations during the 1950s. About 15 different mines used the site from the 1920s to the 1990s. The agency said it’s common to see “improper disposal and lack of post-mining cleanup” from historical operations.
Excavation work and water will be used to quench the fire at the site, now known as the Corley Mine Surface Burn Mitigation Project. The agency said these types of fires in coal waste usually burn hotter than wildfires and can be challenging to extinguish without excavation and earthmoving.
About 10 acres of vegetation will be cleared around the burn area to reduce fire danger. Additionally, water for firefighting will be on-site too.
The state agency said federal funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are covering the more than $853,000 cost of the contract project.
People in the region may see smoke plumes from the site, which could be confused with a wildfire. The work is expected to be complete by fall.
