Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team- Pete Blume, Incident Commander     

Phoenix National Incident Management Organization- Curtis Heaton, Incident Commander

Joint Information Center:  719-569-4149 or 719-657-3279

Hours of operation: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm

West Zone Email: westforkfire@gmail.com  

East Zone Email: WestForkFire.EastZone@gmail.com

 

July 1, 2013

8:00 pm                      

 Special Message:  With the Fourth of July weekend ahead, motorists can expect to see firefighting traffic along Highways 160 and 149.  Please watch your speed.

 Tonight will be the last night shift for this fire.  Starting tomorrow, we will publish the daily update once per day at 9 a.m., with Tweet and Blog entries throughout the day.

 Current Situation:

East Zone of the West Fork Complex (Includes Papoose and Eastern Part of West Fork Fires) 

 Papoose Fire:  Today, crews were able to control four spot fires that started as a result of rolling debris and embers that blew over the fireline from wind gusts that registered up to 49 miles per hour.  Crews also dealt with falling trees in the fire area, creating an unsafe situation for fireline construction.  Two fires started yesterday by spotting from embers, near Red Mountain, were controlled with helicopter drops of water and retardant.  Fire behavior will continue to be extreme, especially with the forecast for continued threat of thunderstorms that include gusty winds.  Firefighters have reinforced structure protection at Spar City and Red Mountain Ranch.  Structure protection is being completed around Bristol Head Acres and Soward Ranch.  Along Highway 149, firefighters were able to burn out above the structures and even out the fire line.  In addition, they have completed mopping up adjacent to structures and have started to patrol the area for additional spot fires.  Tonight, firefighters on night shift will continue to extinguish any hot areas in the northern part of Papoose and patrol in the Red Mountain and Spar City areas.

 Eastern Part of West Fork Fire: The eastern part of the West Fork Fire slowed considerably.  Some areas of the fire have not moved in over six days.  Firefighters have completed fireline construction around Humphreys Lake and monitored and extinguished any additional fire progress at Metroz Lake.  Additional fireline was constructed with a dozer, opening up an old road that could be used to access more of the line past Humphreys Lake and around to Elk Mountain.  Along Highway 160, firefighters continued to secure the fire’s edge.  Protection has been established around structures east of Highway 149.  

 West Zone of West Fork Complex (Includes Western Part of West Fork and Windy Pass Fires)

West Fork Spike Camp was closed today and personnel and equipment have been relocated at the Incident Base at Stevens Airfield in Pagosa Springs.  There is increased traffic, which necessitates caution from the public. As July 4th festivities draws closer, we are requesting visitors and firefighters maintain vigilance in driving safely.

 The San Juan National Forest will be at Stage II Fire Restrictions starting July 2. The Archuleta County remains at Stage 1. Additional information can be found on the San Juan National Forest’s website: http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/sanjuan/home.

 

Western Part of West Fork Fire/Windy Pass:  The West Zone of the West Fork fire is the portion of the fire burning south of the continental divide.  Structure protection is still in place for Wolf Creek Ski Area, Borns Lake Cabins, and Bruce Spruce Resort. The West Fork Campground is open. Crews completed backhauling excess firefighting equipment at Borns Lake, Bruce Spruce and Wolf Creek.  Activity on the Windy Pass Fire today was minimal. 

 Weather: Thunderstorms remain in the forecast throughout the rest of the week; however, the chance of wetting rain will deteriorate as temperatures increase. Scattered thunderstorms will bring Northeast winds 10-15 mph, with a 10% chance of rain hitting the ground. Warmer temperatures are expected.

  Public Health and Safety:  Smoke monitors are in place in Pagosa Springs, Freemon’s Ranch, and Creede, with one monitor yet to be installed at South Fork (on its way).   The monitors are identified as #78 (Creede), #69 (Freemon’s Ranch) and #65 (Pagosa Springs) and can be accessed through the map located at: http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/smoke.pl. Times displayed are in GMT – subtract 6 hours to get local time (MDT).  For the official Colorado Smoke Outlook, please visit http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colo_advisory.aspx and http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/wildfire.aspx for further health advisory information.

 Please use caution when traveling along Highways 149 and 160.  Heavy fire traffic can be expected along the highways and within the communities of South Fork, Creede, and Del Norte.  Reduced speed is posted on Highway 160.  Please do not stop along the roads to take pictures of the fire or firefighters as doing so could impede fire operations.

 Evacuations and Closures:  Evacuations for several communities in Mineral County have been lifted.  Residents are reminded to remain vigilant and be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice in the event that fire activity changes.  Visit http://westforkfirecomplex.blogspot.com/ for a list of areas currently under evacuation or pre-evacuation.  The list will be updated as conditions change.

 For additional information on road and trail closures affecting the San Juan National Forest go to: http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sanjuan/alerts-notices. 

 For additional information on road and trail closures affecting the Rio Grande National Forest go to: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/riogrande/notices/?cid=STELPRDB5143145.

 Fire Information Meetings: None scheduled at this time.

 Media Briefings:  There are no scheduled media briefings.  If media are interested in a briefing or interview, please contact the East Zone Information Office at (719) 657-3279 or West Zone Information office at (970) 731-2432.

 Fire Statistics:

Location:  14.5 miles north/northeast of Pagosa Springs, CO             

Start Date: 06/05/2013          

Complex Size:  93, 776 acres 

Percent Contained: 7%

Windy Pass: 1,417 acres     

Cause:  Lightning

Papoose: 35,842 acres                                                            

Total Personnel: 1,464

 West Fork: 56,517 acres                                                                        

Resources Include: 8 Type 1 hand crews, 20 Type 2 hand crews, 82 engines, 5 dozers, 13 water tenders, and overhead personnel 

Air Resources:  6 Type 1 helicopters, 4 Type 2 helicopters, and 10 Type 3 helicopters. 

Places to get information:

Blog:  http://westforkfirecomplex.blogspot.com/

Website: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3436/

Twitter: @rmt1pio

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/RockyMtn.Type1.IMT.PIOs.

Information Boards:  Information is posted at the Pagosa Springs Visitor Information Center, Freemons Ranch near Creede, the Forest Service office in Creede, and at the Del Norte High School. 

Photos:   http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/WestForkComplex/library/

 ###

  • Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team- Pete Blume, Incident Commander
  • Phoenix National Incident Management Organization- Curtis Heaton, Incident Commander
  • Joint Information Center: 719-569-4149 or 719-657-3279
  • Hours of operation: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
  • West Zone Email: westforkfire@gmail.com
  • East Zone Email: WestForkFire.EastZone@gmail.com

 10:30 July 1, 2013

Special Message: In light of the sad news associated with the loss of 19 members of our firefighting family from Granite Mountain Hot Shots on the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona, the morning update was delayed because of a two hour stand down issued by Incident Commander Pete Blume. The stand down was a safety precaution provided to firefighters to debrief the situation and honor those firefighters lost on the Yarnell Hill Fire. Out of respect for our colleagues on the Yarnell Hill Fire and Prescott Fire Department, the West Fork Complex will not issue any further statements in regards to the Yarnell Hill Fire.

Current Situation:

East Zone of the West Fork Complex (Includes Papoose and Eastern Part of West Fork Fires)

 Papoose Fire: Very little precipitation was received on the fire. Fire behavior is still expected to be extreme, especially with the forecast for continued threat of thunderstorms that include gusty winds. Today’s highest priority is to focus on the northwest side of the fire by securing fireline near Crooked Creek down to Rio Grande Reservoir, keeping the fire east of Squaw Creek. Firefighters will use water or retardant drops to support construction of new line. On the southeast flank, the fire is expected to increase in activity this afternoon in the Trout Creek drainage. Firefighters will reinforce structure protection at Spar City and Red Mountain Ranch. Along Highway 149, firefighters will mop up adjacent to structures.

 Eastern Part of West Fork Fire: Yesterday, the north part of the fire reported 0.20 inches of precipitation received. Firefighters will take advantage of the precipitation by securing line at Lake Humphreys and in the Elk Mountain area. Firefighters will continue direct attack on that piece of fire line with the aid of water or retardant drops. Along Highway 160, firefighters continued to secure the fire’s edge. Protection has been established around structures east of Highway 149.

West Zone of West Fork Complex (Includes Western Part of West Fork and Windy Pass Fires)

West Fork Spike Camp that had been established to support the firefighting activities will be closed down today. All personnel and equipment will be transferred to the Incident Base at Stevens Airfield in Pagosa Springs. Please be cautious with the increased traffic, especially with increased traffic as visitors start to arrive for the 4th of July festivities.

 Western Part of West Fork Fire/Windy Pass: The West Zone of the West Fork fire is the portion of the fire burning south of the continental divide. Structure protection is still in place for Wolf Creek Ski Area, Borns Lake Cabins, and Bruce Spruce Resort, which is still open, and hose lays and sprinkler systems are in place and operational in the West Fork Campground that is also open. Crews started to backhaul the excess firefighting equipment at Borns Lake, Bruce Spruce and Wolf Creek. Activity on the Windy Pass Fire yesterday was minimal. A resource advisor was on the fireline yesterday to assess the landscape and to begin developing a rehabilitation plan.

Weather: Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop today with moderate to heavy rainfall possible and associated gusty winds. A potential for ash flow and mudslides still exists, as well as potential for tree blow down from high winds and helicopter activity. Starting Tuesday, each day of the week is expected to become warmer and drier, with a chance of isolated thunderstorms.

 Public Health and Safety: Smoke monitors are in place in Pagosa Springs, Freemon’s Ranch, and Creede. The monitors are identified as #78 (Creede), #69 (Freemon’s Ranch) and #65 (Pagosa Springs) and can be accessed through the map located at: http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/smoke.pl. Times displayed are in GMT – subtract 6 hours to get local time (MDT). For the official Colorado Smoke Outlook, please visit http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colo_advisory.aspx and http://www.colorado.gov/airquality/wildfire.aspx for further health advisory information.

Please use caution when traveling along Highways 149 and 160. Heavy fire traffic can be expected along the highways and within the communities of South Fork, Creede, and Del Norte. Please do not stop along the roads to take pictures of the fire or firefighters as doing so could impede fire operations.

Evacuations and Closures: Evacuations for several communities in Mineral County have been lifted. Residents are reminded to remain vigilant and be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice in the event that fire activity changes. Visit http://westforkfirecomplex.blogspot.com/ for a list of areas currently under evacuation or pre-evacuation. The list will be updated as conditions change.

For additional information on road and trail closures affecting the San Juan National Forest go to: http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sanjuan/alerts-notices.

For additional information on road and trail closures affecting the Rio Grande National Forest go to: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/riogrande/notices/ cid=STELPRDB5143145.

 Fire Information Meetings: The Red Cross Shelter in Del Norte closed today. Information meetings that had taken place at the shelter will no longer be held. Visit www.redcross.org/Colorado or contact your local Red Cross office for further information regarding the services they provide.

 Media Briefings: There are no scheduled media briefings. If media are interested in a briefing or interview, please contact the East Zone Information Office.

 Fire Statistics:

Location: 14.5 miles north/northeast of Pagosa Springs, CO Start Date: 06/05/2013

Complex Size: 93, 776 acres Percent Contained: 4%

Windy Pass: 1,417 acres Cause: Lightning

Papoose: 35,842 acres Total Personnel: 1508

West Fork: 56,517 acres

Resources Include: 9 Type 1 hand crews, 21 Type 2 hand crews, 84 engines, 4 dozers, 12 water tenders, and overhead personnel

 Air Resources: 6 Type 1 helicopters, 4 Type 2 helicopters, 10 Type 3 helicopters, and 2 single engine airtankers (SEATS)

Places to get information:

Blog: http://westforkfirecomplex.blogspot.com/

Website: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3436/

Twitter: @rmt1pio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RockyMtn.Type1.IMT.PIOs.

Information Boards: Information is posted at the Pagosa Springs Visitor Information Center, Freemons Ranch near Creede, the Forest Service office in Creede, and at the Del Norte High School.

Photos: http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/WestForkComplex/library/

###

Incident: West Fork Complex Wildfire
Released: 12 hrs. ago

West Fork Complex Fire Statement on Yarnell Hill Fire Tragedy

10:00 am July 1, 2013

West Fork Complex firefighters were briefed early this morning by Incident Commander Pete Blume and Dpty IC Todd Pechota regarding the sad news out of Arizona. A two hour stand down was planned this morning along with a moment of silence for the 19 firefighters of the Granite Mountain Hot Shot crew that lost their lives. Incident personnel were given several options to meet their emotional needs. A Critical Incident Stress Management team is available to those needing additional assistance.

It is with a heavy heart that we continue our operations today on the West Fork Complex. The emergency response community mourns the loss of the 19 firefighters that perished in the Yarnell Fire in Arizona stated IC Blume.

The Rocky Mountain Type 1 Incident Management Team and firefighters working the West Fork Complex extend their deepest condolences to those affected by the tragic events of the Yarnell Fire in Arizona. We are keeping the firefighters who died, those that continue to work on incidents, and the families of all firefighters in our thoughts.

Operations on the West Fork Complex will continue as planned. Morning briefing for crews going to the fireline was moved to 9:00 a.m. in order to give them some time to process yesterday’s events. We believe the best tribute we can give at this time is to continue to focus our efforts on maintaining public and firefighter safety in honor of those who have fallen.

Updated information on our incident will be posted to the Blog, InciWeb and via Twitter. We thank you for your understanding in regards to the delay this morning.

Source:  Inciweb

Reblogged:  7/1/13 2115 PDT

 

2013  The NW Fire Blog