‘This thing’s not going out’: Why the rain isn’t extinguishing Colorado’s biggest fires

But after a record snow drought last winter, many experts overseeing the fire response don’t expect the moisture will fully extinguish the blaze anytime soon.

“To be honest, this thing is not going out,” said Joe Goudsward, a National Weather Service meteorologist assigned to the Willow fire. “You’re going to see puffs of smoke on this thing probably until the snow flies,” he said.

It’s a reality sinking in across the Mountain West as fires smolder well into the summer.