ESTES PARK, Colo. — The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office says that an investigation into the Kruger Rock Fire has revealed high winds blew a tree onto a nearby powerline causing it to arc and start the fire.
The fire started early Tuesday morning in the area of Little Valley and Fish Creek near Kruger Rock.
As of 6:25 a.m. on Wednesday, the fire is estimated to be 133 acres in size and 15% contained.
No structures have been damaged.
An air tanker pilot died while fighting the fire on Tuesday night. The crash happened around 6:35 p.m. The aircraft, owned by CO Fire Aviation, took off for a first-of-its-kind mission for nighttime firefighting in Colorado. The flight was set to last about an hour.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.
