Rocky Mountain Area Morning Update June 19, 2013
Preparedness Level
National 2
RMA 3

Rocky Mountain Area (PL 3)
New fires: 14
New large fires: 0
Uncontained large fires: 4
NIMOs committed: 1
Type 1 IMTs committed: 1
Type 2 IMTs committed: 1

Details: http://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/predictive/rmasit_protection.htm.

Fires are listed by GACC priority:

West Fork Complex (CO-SJF-000232) - Type3 (Schlapfer/Kincaid)

Fire Information, Pam Wilson, 970-799-1179,  http://inciweb.org/incident/3436/

Fire is located 14.5 miles N/NE of Pagosa Springs CO, 3,280 acres, confine and control, 41 structures threatened.

Significant Events: Working with the Wolf Creek Ski Area on structure protection. Crews are scouting, evaluating, and constructing indirect control lines for Windy Pass.
Remarks: Phoenix NIMO Team assumed command 6/19/2013. WEST FORK: 3,116 ACRES, WINDY PASS 164 ACRES
Observed Fire Behavior: Single tree and group torching, sustained runs up steep drainaged.
Planned Actions: Continue control work.

Black Forest (CO-EPX) El Paso County, IMT 1 (Harvey)

Joint Information Center (JIC) 719-444-8300, http://inciweb.org/incident/3424/

14,280 acres and 85% contained, two fatalities and 502 primary residents were destroyed; determined to be human caused. 

Significant Events: Situational awareness will be heightened for crews in Divisions Delta, Kilo and Whiskey as restrictions have been lifted in those Divisions for the community to re-enter at 1100 today. The temporary flight restrictions have been removed for the incident. There were a significant number of resources that have been released, to include: 1 Type I helicopter, 19 overhead, 7 crews, 13 water tenders, 22 engines and 3 dozers, due to the crews meeting their objectives assisted by the higher RH and lower temperatures over the past several days.
Remarks: Evacuations are being lifted at the direction of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in coordination with Great Basin Team 2. Structure Counts were updated to reflect current numbers given by El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Observed Fire Behavior: Overnight RH recoveries last night were good reaching 83%. ERCs are dropping steady and currently 83rd percentile. Primary fire carrier is found in the understory duff and timber litter layers.
Planned Actions: Continue to provide for life and safety as evacuations are lifted. Locate and extinguish all hot spots while continuing perimeter control using direct attack as needed. Continue coordination with the utility companies, local/state/federal partners and El Paso County Sheriffs Office assessment team. Fire line personnel will continue rehab, mop-up and mitigate hazards around each structure ensuring this is done three times using flagging as the identifier for time and crew. Begin transition planning to a Type 4 organization.
 
Ward Gulch, (CO-GWD-122)-Type3 (Berino)

Pat Thrasher, PIO, Phone: (970) 456-6593, http://inciweb.org/incident/3426/

Ward Gulch Fire is located 10 miles North of Rifle, Colorado and is 485 Acres, 95% contained.
Structures are threatened with zero affected.

Significant Events: County Road 325 opened to the public. Rifle Gap Lake open for recreation with exception of west end being used for helicopter bucket support
Observed Fire Behavior: Smoldering, Creeping
Planned Actions: Continued demob and end of operational period 6/19 transferring the fire to local Type 4 Organization. Keep line resources in place with the Red Flag Warning posted for 6/19.
 
 
Big Meadow (CO-RMP-217) Rocky Mountain NP, IMT 2 (Del Grosso)
Kyle Patterson, PIO, 970-586-1363, http://inciweb.org/incident/3420/
The Big Meadows Fire, 5 miles North of Grand Lake, CO is at 604 acres and 95% contained.

Significant Events: Three RM Park trails remain closed and the Timber Lake trail is open for back country overnight use. Crews continued monitoring and patrolling control line. Crews dismantled the spike camp and hauled out all of the camp logistical support materials. All personnel were removed from the fire and spike camp to transition with the incoming ICT3. Aerial resources continued to be used for reconnaissance, personnel transport, and backhaul of logistical support materials. Completed the structure protection plan for NPS structures along highway 34 within the RMNP boundary. Continued to provide data analysis and support to RM National Park s WFDSS decision document and completed a draft of the Management Action Points and Long Term Analysis document.
Remarks: Re Block 18 and 36: Portions of the completed fire line consists of rock outcrop and other unburnable fuel types which form significant portions of the containment perimeter. There are large blocks of unburned fuels between the fire perimeter and the natural containment barriers. The unburned fuels may burn to the natural containment features later this summer.
Observed Fire Behavior: Smoldering with pockets of heavy fuels continuing to burn out.
Planned Actions: Continue patrol, monitoring, and rehabilitation/mitigation work as stipulated in the NPs turn back specifications. Personnel assigned to the incoming ICT3 will shadow various Team A positions. Transfer of Command from RM IMT A to a Type 3 team is scheduled at 1800 on Wednesday, June 19, 2013.

WILD-HACKING COMPLEX (CO-DSP-085) - Wiedow Type: Type 4 IC

25 miles North of Dinosaur, CO, 394 acres, 15% contained

Significant Events: Fire made an approximately 25-acre run to the south.
Remarks: Unknown at this time
Observed Fire Behavior: Crowning, running and torching
Planned Actions: Will not be conducting any demobing on Wednesday. Continuing with direct line construction.
 

Interactive Incidents Map - Rocky Mountain Area:    http://rockyags.cr.usgs.gov/rmirs/

• Click on map icon for detailed incident information

Multimedia Weather Outlook:  Updated by 9:00 a.m. Daily
http://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/predictive/outlook/Fire_Weather_Briefing/Fire_Potential_Briefing.mp4

http://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/predictive/outlook/Fire_Weather_Briefing/Fire_Potential_Briefing.wmv 

Rocky Basin Type I Teams
Harvey: Black Forest
Lund: Available
Blume: Available

RMA Type II Teams
Team A: Big Meadows Fire
Team B: Prepositioned
Team C: Available

National Fire Activity
Initial attack activity: Light (107 new fires)
New large fires: 4 (*)
Large fires contained: 1
Uncontained large fires: ** 18
Area Command Teams committed: 0
NIMOs committed: 2
Type 1 IMTs committed: 2
Type 2 IMTs committed: 5
** Uncontained large fires include only fires being managed under a full suppression
strategy.
Link to Geographic Area daily reports.
Two MAFFS C-130 aircraft and support personnel from the 302nd Airlift Wing, Colorado Springs (US Air Force
Reserve) are supporting wildland fire suppression operations out of Colorado Springs, CO.

 A SUMMARY OF THE MOST RECENT 209S RECEIVED AT RMACC FOR THIS OPERATIONAL PERIOD:  EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO GATHER INFORMATION BUT ACRES/ACTIONS/CONDITIONS MAY HAVE CHANGED SINCE REPORTING.