⁍ The East Troublesome Fire has consumed 125,600 acres (50,830 hectares) since it started last week.

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⁍ The blaze is among the latest in a brutal fire season following a long period of drought across Colorado.

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⁍ In the northern part of the state, the Cameron Peak Fire has been burning since mid-August, setting the state record for largest wildfire.

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– An out-of-control wildfire in Colorado has prompted the closure of Rocky Mountain National Park, Reuters reports. The East Troublesome Fire has already destroyed more than 100 square miles of land and forced the evacuation of the lakeside community of Grand Lake. The park’s west entrance was closed on Wednesday as the fire began encroaching. The National Weather Service was forecasting continued hot, dry, windy conditions in much of Colorado, but snow and much colder weather are expected this weekend. The fire is one of nearly a dozen burning across the state. “We anticipate another day of large fire growth,” an incident commander said at a Thursday morning briefing on the East Troublesome Fire, one of nearly a dozen fires burning across the state. The windswept blaze raced over about 20 miles of rugged terrain on Wednesday, scorching about 100,000 acres of grass and timber in extremely dry conditions. The fire, which spread into Rocky Mountain National Park, prompted the National Park Service on Thursday to close the entire 415 square-mile expanse early on Thursday. The park’s west entrance was closed on Wednesday as the fire began encroaching. The National Weather Service was forecasting continued hot, dry, windy conditions in much of Colorado, but snow and much colder weather are expected this weekend.