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.
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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 a 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., 9/4/19: Fire 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., 9/3/19: A 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.
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The fire burned at a high intensity in some areas but also left many areas untouched.
(Photo taken Aug. 31, 2019)
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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)
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