As of Memorial Day 2022, the wildfire adjacent to Plumtaw Road and Fourmile Road appears to have run its course. The Type 2 team has handed management of the fire off to a Type 3 team, for monitoring and ‘mopping up’. The fire is reportedly 77% contained. Here’s the press release sent out on Sunday…
Today at 6:00am, Type 3 Incident Management Team assumed command of the Plumtaw Fire. Incident Commander, Ed LeBlanc commended the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team 2 for their quality work and smooth transition…
Current Situation: As expected, fire activity remained consistent with the past few days and no fire growth occurred. Uncontained fireline in the northeast corner remains the highest priority and crews continued to secure firelines by extinguishing heat sources and removing fuels. On contained firelines, firefighters conducted patrol and mop-up operations, backhauled unneeded supplies and equipment, and conducted suppression repair operations.
Today, as weather conditions allow, the bulk of resources will be working again in the northeast corner continuing with suppression operations. Fire crews will contend with windy conditions and gusts up to 50mph which will present additional hazards and may limit support from air operations. On contained sections, firefighters will continue to repair primary and secondary firelines by removing debris and branches that were cut during fireline construction and will also conduct other suppression repairs to prevent topsoil loss during future rainstorms. Patrol and mop-up and planning for suppression repair will continue on sections of lines that aren’t ready for suppression repair. Looking ahead, fire manager are optimistic that firefighters will connect and strengthen firelines leading to increased containment.
Areas around the fires are closed for public safety. Please respect the closure signs. Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones. ‘If you fly, we can’t.’ Learn more at http://knowbeforeyoufly.org
Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in place for the San Juan National Forest. There is also a closure area for the Plumtaw fire. See: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sanjuan/alerts-notices
The Bureau of Land Management sent out the following press release on the Perins Peak Fire in neighboring La Plata County:
Containment increased again Friday on the Perins Peak Fire and it is now at 45% contained. Red flag weather conditions are forecast again today and stronger winds out of the southwest could ignite unburned fuel within the fire perimeter and push them toward the containment lines on the northeast side of the fire area. “The stronger winds should be a good test of our efforts to date,” says Incident Commander Jay Godson. He adds that hotshot crews and other resources will continue to look for hot spots near those containment lines. An infrared mapping flight over the fire area Friday updated acreage at 106 acres, but fire crews reported only minimal fire activity yesterday.
Beginning this evening, the fire will transition to a smaller organization. Several crews are now being released so they can either return home or go to other fires. Two hotshot crews and additional personnel will remain on the fire through the weekend. Smoke will remain visible from the Durango area as interior pockets of fuel smolder.
The pre-evacuation order was lifted Friday for County Road 206 and County Road 208 (zones 5 and 6 on the attached map). A pre-evacuation notice remains in place for the Rockridge subdivision (zone 1). For more information on evacuations, visit the La Plata County Evacuations Map. Trails at Twin Buttes and Overend Mountain Park are now open. Trail users are encouraged to watch for trail updates while the Perins Peak Fire remains active.
Fire danger remains extremely high across southwest Colorado and both residents and visitors are urged to use extreme caution as they recreate on our public lands this weekend…
A wildfire broke out in neighboring Conejos County on Saturday. Here is the press release from the Rio Grande National Forest.
The Menkhaven Fire was reported around 3:00pm today near milepost 20 on Colorado State Highway 17 at the Menkhaven subdivision approximately 18 miles west of Antonito, CO. The subdivision was evacuated along with all homes north of highway 17 between Horca and Fox Creek according to San Luis Valley Emergency Management. The Aspen Glade campground on the Conejos Peak Ranger District has been placed on pre-evacuation standby. Highway 17 is closed in the area.
The fire is burning in a steep canyon in mixed conifer fuels with brush and aspen. The size of the fire was mapped at approximately 197 acres in the early evening by the Multi-Mission Aircraft. Numerous engines from Conejos County, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control, and the Rio Grande National Forest are on scene, working to suppress the fire. Air tankers were ordered and are enroute. The helicopter that was ordered was grounded due to high winds.
A Type 3 Incident Commander has assumed command. Hot shot crews and various overhead resources have also been ordered.
Forest Road #101 has been closed at Fox Creek and the forest boundary north of Horca.
The Rio Grande National Forest is in Stage 1 fire restrictions. No campfires are allowed, unless in developed recreations sites.
For information on the Rio Grande National Forest, call (719) 850-2374.
Bill Hudson began sharing his opinions in the Pagosa Daily Post in 2004 and can’t seem to break the habit. He claims that, in Pagosa Springs, opinions are like pickup trucks: everybody has one.