National Park Service has confirmed that the Dinosaur HQ Fire that started on Wednesday afternoon was human caused and remains under investigation. The fire was reported on Wednesday afternoon at about 2:20pm burning just north of Highway 40 adjacent to the Canyon Visitor Center/Monument Headquarters. By 8:00 pm on Wednesday, it was burning on both sides of the Highway and had reached approximately 160 acres. Highway 40 was closed in both directions for a time, as was the Canyon Visitor Center which reopened on Thursday at 10:30am. National Park Service reports that the fire is burning in grass, sagebrush, and pinyon/juniper trees. Power lines in the area have been affected and crews from multiple agencies have been assisting with firefighting efforts. Air resources have included a large air tanker dropping retardant on the blaze.
