Grand Junction firefighters responded to a quarter-acre brush fire along the Colorado River near the Las Colonias dog park Sunday night, September 13, 2026. The blaze, which broke out around 8:30 p.m., is now under active investigation by the Grand Junction Police Department.
Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene, where they found the fire burning through "tall vegetation and debris along the river corridor," according to a city press release. Despite a weekend of considerable rainfall, the fire ignited, though its spread was reportedly slowed slightly by wet conditions from heavy rain earlier in the day. No injuries were reported from the incident, and the cause of the fire has not yet been identified, the fire department's press release stated.
The Grand Junction Police Department is investigating the incident based on information provided by witnesses, according to the fire department's press release.
Dirk Clingman, Community Outreach Specialist for the Grand Junction Fire Department (GJFD), emphasized the ongoing fire risk in an email. Clingman noted that while "recent precipitation has been welcome and has provided some short-term relief," it does not immediately reverse the effects of prolonged dry conditions. He urged residents to continue using extra caution with any activity capable of producing heat, flames, or sparks.
In light of the incident, the fire department issued a handful of safety reminders for community members. These include properly extinguishing and disposing of smoking materials, avoiding parking vehicles on dry grass, and using caution when operating equipment and using trailer chains that could cause sparks.
Mesa County remains under Stage 1 fire restrictions, despite recent easing of restrictions on nearby federal lands like the Grand Mesa and in the Gunnison National Forest. Under these local restrictions, fireworks are prohibited, campfires are not allowed outside of permanent fire grates, and smoking within six feet of combustible materials is forbidden by law.
Furthermore, the Mesa County Public Health Department has delayed its fall open burn season, declining to issue any burn permits as of August 28.
The September 13 fire near Las Colonias marks the third significant blaze along the Grand Valley's stretch of the Colorado River this summer. Earlier incidents included an island inferno near Dos Rios and the Snyder Fire, which prompted evacuations further downstream near Fruita. Both of these previous fires occurred in late June.
