About 140 miles west, the South Rim fire burning in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park grew to 1,640 acres and forced mandatory evacuations in Montrose County on Friday night.

A wildfire that's burning in the southern part of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park has grown to more than 1,600 acres.

Visitors and staff at two national parks in the U.S. West have been evacuted because of wildfires. Officials at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado say the park closed Thursday morning after lightning sparked blazes on both rims.