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StT=~~TUN mined (here from an uncorrclatcd zone in dtc Williams Fork Formation. control project was undertaken, involving surface seal- ing and limited fire barrier work in Ute area of dtc inter- secting portals (Shellenbergcr, 1972a). Field inspections by Donner on October 31, 1973 and February 28, 1974 found gcncral cooling of the fire arcs, with snow remaining in shady spots whcrc the barter work had been done. But a March 9, 1976 in- spection reported venting on the point of the ridge, an unworkcd section between the south and cast facing slopes. And by August 30, 1978, the valley fill from the adjacent Colowyo Surface Minc had obscured the barrier work, and thcrc was renewed tiro activity on the mid-slope cut area. It was rcponcd that the mint hrc would be completely reactivated if left unaucndcd. The inspection for this investigation was conducted ny CGS and CIMRP on October 2S, 1984, and (hough access to the hrc area was restricted by Colnwyo Coal Company property fences, steam or smoke was seen venting occasionally from the mid-slope cut near the point of the ridge. The character of the fire had not changed during a site inspection of March 1987. Axial Mine Coal Fire I The Axial Minc Coal Fire is located in Moffat County 28 miles southwest of Crai and 18 miles rtonlt-no cast of Mcckcr, at the SwNwtJF of Sr T9N R9IW~ Sixth Principal Meridian. It is on the east-facing slope above Good Spring Crcck and on the south-facing slope above Strcctcr Gulch at the junction o(thc two, immcd- iatcly west of Colorado 13789. Although it is only a short distance up the slope above the road, access is blocked by a Colowyo Coal Company property fence. The Colowyo Coal Company office is about 2.5 miles north of the fire silt, 0.25 milts west of the highway, and pcmrission (or access must be obtained. Figure 13 is a rnap showing the gcncral location of the coal hrc. The mint was first known as the Collom Minc, when opened by Joseph Collom in 1906-07. h became the Strcctcr Minc when ownership changed hands in 1937. Production increased tenfold at this time from an average of 750 tons of coal per year to over 7.500 tons. due ro the use of mobile mechanized equipment. Prior to 1944, all production was from the upper coal bed, acces- sed by two drifts. The upper bed was closed in the spring of 1949. Production from tttc lower coal bed with access by three drifts, began in 1944, but was halted by the collapse of the mine on October 19, 1951. Incompet- ent pillars in the upper mint and insufficient superjacent pillars within the two mines probably could not support dte overlying massive sandstone (McConnell, 1953). ll is believed that a fire started in the mine from spontaneous combustion of pulverized and broken coal from the collapsed pillars. Smoke was first observed on January 4, 1953 rising from the upper mint portals, which were closed three months later Then in the spring of 1957, smoke was seen venting from the lower mine portals, and they were closed with din and rock by mine employees. By 1961, the fire was still burning in both beds, and a control project was recommended. According to Ratkovich and Dimitroff (1961 b), the surface sealing method was performed by bulldozer cut and covering between October 2 and October 25, 1962. Sixteen inspections between 1963 and 1970 required additional work, often the rcmovat of rocks which had created voids in the cover. By 1971, it was apparent the fire had progressed to an area whcrc one oC the lower portals intersected a portal to a neighboring active mine, the Rcd Wing (also called the Shaver). So from July I, 1972 to November 22, 1972, a second phase of the Black Diamond Mine Coal Fire The Black Diamond Minc is located in Rio Blanco County one mile north of Meckcr in the SEN W of Scc. 15, TIN, R94W, Sixth Principal Meridian. The mint portal faces south into a steep-sided valley at the conBuencc of an unnamed tributary and Anderson Gulch. The roof is composed of massive, well-jointed sandstone. Original access to the mine was via wagon road in the bottom of Anderson Gulch. Large sections of this roadway have been destroyed by ongoing erosion since the mint was closed. In the mid 1950s a Grc road was cut into the area from the east and it climbs out of the drainage about 0.25 miles south of the portal. The mine and old, (alien surface structures are clearly visible from the footpath in the bottom of Anderson Gulch which is littered with coal debris all the way to the mine. Figure !4 is a map showing the gcncral location of the coal fire. The Black Diamond produced just over 30,000 tons of subbituminous coal from the Sulfur Creek unit of the Cretaceous Iles Fommation between 1916 and 1930. The mint was closed due to the fire in 1930 and the portal was scaled until 1938 when it was rcopcned. The fire was still going so the adit was closed again. A field inspection conducted by CGS and CIMRP in September 1984 rcvcaled the Grc to be active. The total affected area is approximatciy three acres. The active fire is adversely affecting 0.2 acres. Noxious 34