Saturday, September 21, 2019

Fire Activity


Davenport Fire

Update:5:20 pm
The Davenport Fire has been 100% contained and total command has been turned over to Wet Mountain FPD.  All U.S. Forest and BLM resources are relieved from the fire including the helicopter.  Wet Mtn. FPD will have two engines patrolling the fire all night and the San Juan Hotshots will be assigned to the fire starting early morning.
Update:3:20 pm
Custer County has lifted the pre-evacuation order for the incident. The state of Colorado Multi-Mission Aircraft (MMA)  flew the fire and with its imagery capabilities mapped the fire at 2 acres.
Update:2:00 pm
Incident Commander has called the Davenport Fire 45% contained and has release all aviation resources except for the type 3 helicopter.  It was determined that the report of 4.5 acres was incorrect and the actual size is 2.5 acres.
Update:11:30 am
Fire is now at 4.5 acres with all fire resources fully engaged in the suppression efforts.
Update:11:00 am
Multiple aircraft is assigned to the fire, one Large Airtanker (LAT), one Single Engine Airtanker(SEAT), one Type 3 Helicopter, an Airattack and one Lead Airplane.  Pueblo County is also assisting via Custer County request.

Time Reported:  1:12 am, 9/21/19
Size: 2 acres
Location: Custer County off Hwy 165 between mile marker 13 and 14, 4 miles north of San Isabel, CO.
Jurisdiction: Custer County
Resources: Multiple engines from Wet Mtn. FPD, Forest Service and BLM fire resources, one -Type 3 Helicopter,
Containment:100%
Controlled:  0%
Structures Threatened: 8 structures
Evacuation: Pre-evacuation for the 8 structures close to the incident.  Not known if structures are occupied.  Pre-evacuation have lifted !
Closures: County Road 382, road into Davenport Campground
Cause: Unknown / under investigation
Fuels: mixed conifer timber, grass
        #DavenportFire


 This map is an approximate location

Monday, September 16, 2019


Fire Activity

Update: 4:00 pm, 9/19
Fire crews are preparing for the transition of the fire on Friday to the South Platte Ranger District.  It will move from a Type 3 organization to a smaller Type 4 organization.

Update: 6:30 am, 9/19
Fire crews continued gridding the #64 Fire extinguishing  hot spots. A engine crew will be on scene patrolling the next few days.

Update: 8:30 am, 9/18
The #64A Fire crews will be strengthen the fireline and mopping up the interior hot spots during today's shift. The handcrew, 6 engines and the Type 3 helicopter will be demob today.

Update: 6:30 pm, 9/17
The #64A Fire was called 100 % contained at 4:34 pm with a total of 12 acres burnt.  Evacuations have been lifted meaning all residents may return home.

Update: 8:00 am, 9/17
Fire operations plan is still a go for the day, will start with putting in a hose lay to hold the fire in place during the predicted 20 to 30 mph wind event from a approaching cold front. No change in size or containment.

Update: 6:55 pm, 9/16
At the end of day shift operations the 64A Fire is still at 50 % containment. Fire operations plan for tomorrow will start with putting in a hose lay to hold the fire in place during the predicted 20 to 30 mph wind event from a approaching cold front.

Update: 2:30 pm, 9/16

The 64A Fire is at 50% containment. Fire cause is under investigation. A type 1 and a type 3 helicopter was released from the incident today.  The Type 1 helicopter will be preposition at the Monument helibase. 

 Time Reported: 9/15/19 at 11:16 am
  • Size: 12 acres
  • Location: Park County, South Platte Ranger District, County Road 64, SW of Bailey, CO.
  • Jurisdiction: USFS, CO.
  • Resources: Forest Service Resources, Local Fire Departments from Park County, One Type 2 handcrew,  One Type 3 Helicopter
  • Containment: 50 %
  • Controlled:  
  • Structures Threatened: in Payne Gulch
  • Evacuation: Payne Gulch Road residents / Happy Top
  • pre evacuation Glen Isle
  • Closures: 
  • Cause: Unknown, under investigation
  • Fuels: Conifer Duff and litter and grass, some logging slash
        #64AFire
This map is an approximate location




Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Thursday, September 5, 2019


UPDATE 9/19 6:32 am

Shawnee Peak Fire was declared 100% contained at 5:39 pm,  the total size 70 acres.

Shawnee Peak Fire

This will be the last daily fire update unless there is significant activity to report. The fire will continue to creep along and smolder with occasional single-tree torching within the fire perimeter until the area receives a season-ending weather event.

Shawnee Peak Fire Information:
719-299-1567 This number will no longer be in service starting Friday, Sept. 5

All inquiries will defer to the South Platte Ranger District at: 303-275-5610

Time Reported: 3:15pm, 8/26/19

Location: Near Shawnee Peak, east of Kenosha Pass in the Lost Creek Wilderness.

Jurisdiction: USFS

Size: 70 acres

Containment: 60%

Controlled: 0%

Cause: Lightning
Structures Threatened: N\A

Evacuation: N\A

Closures: The Pike and San Isabel National Forests issued a formal Forest fire closure order for the fire area, the Ben Tyler North trailhead and all trails within the Shawnee Peak Fire. The closure does not include the Colorado Trail. All closed trails and trailheads are depicted on the closure map. A copy of the order and closure map is posted at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/psicc/alerts-notices (scroll down to Closures).

Fuels: Timber

Resources: 1-Interagency Hotshot Crew; 2-Helicopters; 1-engine, and 1-Wildland Fire Module. Total personnel are 65.

Update 9:00 a.m., 9/5/19: Cloudy, cooler temperatures and increased relative humidity kept the fire activity and smoke to a minimum. Storms passed over the general area but the fire received less than a tenth of an inch of rain. Firefighters patrolled containment lines, worked on uncontained firelines, and cleaned up flagging and other fire suppression debris.
The human-caused Shawnee North 1 Fire reported Monday afternoon, Sept. 3 has been declared completely out.

The ongoing weather forecast calls for wetting rain over the fire area over the next couple of days. Firefighters will transport from the spike camps back to the incident command post for showers and a well-deserved rest. Firefighters will return and resume patrolling the fire perimeter, complete fireline containment on the southern and southeastern fire perimeter as temperatures warm up and the fuels dry out.

A reconnaissance flight over the fire area is planned for Friday, weather permitting, to determine where and how much heat remains within the fire perimeter. Firefighters will focus on those areas when they resume suppression activities. Containment of the fire is likely to increase based on the findings from the flight.

Some areas of the fire did burn at a high tensity. 
However, much of the fire burned from moderate to 
low intensity as shown in this video filmed from the 
fireline on the eastern perimeter on August 31, 2019.




Update 8:00 a.m., 9/4/19Fire activity was minimal yesterday as the fire continued to smolder and creep along. Firefighters continued working on securing the uncontained fireline along the south and southeast fire perimeter, monitored for any additional hotspots, and patrol the contained fireline. Late afternoon thunderstorms produced about a tenth of an inch of rain over the fire.
The Shawnee North 1 Fire reported Monday afternoon, Sept. 3, was determined as human caused. The fire was located a quarter of a mile north of the Shawnee Peak Fire. Firefighters responded to the fire quickly and were able to contain it to less than one tenth of an acre with the assistance from helicopter water drops.

Firefighters will continue work on securing the uncontained fireline along the south and southeast fire perimeter, monitor for any additional hotspots, and patrol the contained fireline.

Today, it will be cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms around noon. Temperatures will reach around 61 degrees and the minimum relative humidity at 25 percent. Winds will be southwest at 6-12 mph. Gusty and erratic winds are expected near the thunderstorms after noon.

Update 6:00 p.m., 9/3/19A small, single engine airplane entered the Shawnee Peak Fire restricted airspace earlier this week. This is the third violation of the project’s airspace, counting one that occurred during the initial stage of the fire. Unauthorized aircraft pose a high risk of a mid-air collision that would compromise the safety of firefighters in the air and on the ground, which is of grave concern.

When an illegal incursion of a TFR occurs, aircraft assigned to the fire must immediately return to their base or to the closest helispot until the airspace is clear.

Whether you fly a fixed wing, helicopter, glider, hang glider, or are a drone operator, please remember: IF YOU FLY, WE CANNOT.

Update 9:30 a.m., 9/3/19: Firefighters continued patrolling and dry mopping along firelines yesterday around the fire perimeter.

Firefighters will continue to patrol for and dry mop hot spots along the fire containment lines today as the fire continues to burn within the fire perimeter. Helicopters will be actively working on the fire, hauling cargo, shuttling firefighters and conducting reconnaissance over the fire area.

It will be slightly cooler today with temperatures around 65 degrees. The minimum relative humidity will increase at 26%. There is a slight chance of rain showers between 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., followed by a chance of thunderstorms. Winds will be from the north at 2-6 mph then easterly by noon at 5-10 mph. Gusty and erratic winds are expected near thunderstorms after 3:00 p.m.

Wildland fire areas typically consist of low, medium, and high intensity burn as well as unburned areas creating a mosaic pattern across the landscape. This is the case with the Shawnee Peak Fire. Many unburned areas remain within the fire perimeter, providing fuels to keep the fire active.


The fire burned at a high intensity in some areas but also left many areas untouched.
(Photo taken Aug. 31, 2019)
Fire activity over the past several days has been low to moderate as it creeps and smolders
across the forest floor along with an occasional tree torching. (Photo taken Aug. 31, 2019)

Monday, September 2, 2019

Shawnee Peak Fire Information:
719-299-1567 (8AM-7PM)
Time Reported:  3:15pm, 8/26/19
Location: Near Shawnee Peak, east of Kenosha Pass in the Lost Creek Wilderness.
Jurisdiction: USFS
Size: 70 acres
Containment: 60%
Controlled:  0%
Cause: Lightning
Structures Threatened: N\A
Evacuation: N\A
Closures: The Pike and San Isabel National Forests issued a formal Forest fire closure order for the fire area, the Ben Tyler North trailhead and all trails within the Shawnee Peak Fire. The closure does not include the Colorado Trail. All closed trails and trailheads are depicted on the closure map. A copy of the order and closure map are posted at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/psicc/alerts-notices (scroll down to Closures).
Fuels: Timber
Resources:  
--> 1-Interagency Hotshot Crews; 2-Helicopters; and 1-Wildland Fire Module. Total personnel are 59.       Update 6:30 a.m., 9/19/19Shawnee Peak Fire was declared 100% contained at 5:39 pm, 9/18 the total size for the fire is 70 acres.

Update 8:00 a.m., 9/2/19Moderate fire activity provided an opportunity for firefighters to conduct some burning along the southwest fire perimeter. This reduced available fuels and the potential for fire to spread outside the containment line. Firefighters started rehabilitation of fireline on the eastern perimeter by installing water bars to prevent potential erosion on downslope areas.

An infrared flight showed a lot of heat within the interior of the fire perimeter with the exception of the northwestern area where there are isolated hot spots. The spot fires detected and lined outside of the eastern perimeter showed no heat. No new spot fires were detected.
-->

--> Firefighters will continue patrolling and dry mop operations. They will also work on rehabilitation of firelines where necessary to minimize potential erosion. Fire activity is anticipated to remain moderate, burning at low intensities as it moves through unburned vegetation and other fuels within the fire perimeter. As the fire continues to move along the forest floor, it is reducing the likelihood of future re-ignition. Burning out old and dense vegetation returns nutrients back into the soil and enhances regeneration of new growth, which provides nutritious vegetation for wildlife in the area.

--> Hot, dry weather conditions are expected for the burn area with temperatures around 71 degrees and the minimum humidity at 13 percent. West winds will be 6-7 mph.