Manitou Fire
Update: 3:35 6/2/2024 Fire is located on the Manitou Water Shed property within a fuels treatment unit. Resources on scene are US Forest Service, Manitou Springs, Colo Springs Utilities and Job Crop. Updated size is 1 acre.
Time Reported: 6/02/2024 12:40 pm
- Size: 1 acre
- Location: El Paso County, 4.5 miles northwest of Manitou Springs, CO, Pikes Peak Ranger District, near Manitou Reservoir.
- Jurisdiction: Manitou Water Shed, US Forest Service has command
- Resources: US Forest Service Engine 91, 4 Manitou Springs firefighters, 8 Colo Springs Utilities resources, Box Elder Job Corp and the USFS Monument helitack crew
- Containment: 6/2/024 @ 4:45 pm for 1 acre
- Controlled:
- Structures Threatened: None
- Evacuation: None
- Closures: None
- Cause: Lighting
- Fuels:
- #ManitouFire.CO
Update 6/2/24 8PM: The fire was controlled at 4:45pm today and all containment lines are continuing to hold well. Firefighters have worked on strengthening those firelines and will continue to mop up hotspots near the fireline. Crews will be hiking out this evening and will return in the morning to continue with their efforts to control this fire. Firefighters utilized the helicopter all afternoon for making water drops to cool hotspots and the helicopter will be available for them again tomorrow.
Today, firefighters were able to take advantage of a recent mitigation project in the City of Manitou watershed. Lighting happen to strike right in the project area that was designed to reduce fuel loading in order to mitigate the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Because this project significantly reduced the amount of fuel available (smaller trees and dead/downed dead trees) for the fire to burn, the flame lengths remained small and firefighters, along with the support of a helicopter dropping water, were able to easily contain this fire. The City of Manitou Springs is one of many agencies in the local area doing this type of work and contributing to the commitment of forest management and reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires to our communities. This project was finished less than 6 months ago which shows how quickly these types of projects can make a difference. The type of fire behavior today is what should be typical in this fire dependent ecosystem we live in and the more fuel reduction work that is done, the more opportunities firefighters will have to use the areas to control wildfires whether they are natural or human caused. The photos below show how well the mitigation work helped keep fire behavior low during the firefighting efforts today.
Photo from the Monument Fire, fireline 6/2/24
Helicopter picking up water from the Monument Reservoir to deliver to firefighters on the fireline. 6/2/24
Photo from helicopter over fire 6/2/24
Update 6/3/24 1PM:The fire containment lines are continuing to hold well. Firefighters are working on strengthening those firelines and will continue to mop up the interior. minor smokes that are present. Forest Service resources are the Helitac Crew and Engine 91 Crew, plus firefighters from Manitou Springs Fire Dept. Box Elder Job Corp Crew and the helicopter have been released.
Map
