Additional firefighting resources arrived on the Sand Creek Fire Saturday and three hotshot crews were expected to arrive on June 21.
The fire is burning in a remote area about 21 miles northwest of Pagosa Springs and has grown to about 50 acres in size. Helicopters have been dropping water on the fire, which is burning inside an area previously burned during the Little Sand Fire in 2012. Fire managers are working to keep the fire as small as possible and are developing plans on how to achieve that objective while limiting risks to firefighters.
The area can only be reached by foot or air and is full of dangerous standing dead trees (snags). Firefighters hiked in yesterday to assess the fire and it was a two-and-a-half hour hike in to reach the fire area. Today firefighters will use drones to get accurate intelligence on the perimeter of the fire. They are also working on a helicopter landing zone to be used in case of medical emergencies, as well as scouting roads and other geographic features that could be used for fire lines.
A Type 3 Incident Management Team is now in place and began managing firefighting operations this morning. The team includes specialists in analyzing what the fire behavior is likely to be and where the fire may grow, given the terrain, the fuel that is available to burn and the predicted weather. These specialists will help the team develop a plan that has the best chance of being successfully implemented. The team will soon include an Air Resource Advisor who will issue air quality forecasts for the public.
Smoke from this fire is visible from US Highway 160 between Pagosa Springs and Bayfield. Fire danger remains very high and fire restrictions are in place on the San Juan National Forest.
Additional incident information on the Sand Creek Fire will be posted to: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6790/.
On June 18, after four days of strong winds and Red Flag Warnings, the East Canyon Fire near Mancos was still 0% contained. An infrared flight measured the fire at 2,764 acres.
On the north edge of the fire, fire activity has been reduced to smoldering and creeping, with occasional isolated tree torching. Firefighters and engines there are mopping up and securing fire lines, supported by helicopters as needed. Hotshot crews are continuing to build fireline along the western perimeter, working their way south.
On the east edge, crews have widened control lines by gradually burning out fuels between the main body of the fire and Cherry Creek Road. Firefighters are working to thoroughly mop up an earlier spot fire in that area. No new spot fires were reported across Cherry Creek.
Firefighters continue to protect individual homes and critical infrastructure.A full complement of air resources is available in the fire area, and aircraft are ordered as needed.
Cooler temperatures and calmer winds are expected to aid the firefighting effort. Temperatures are forecast to be below 80 degrees, with southwest winds at 10-15 mph.
Location: Approximately two miles southeast of Mancos, Colorado
Started: Sunday, June 14, 2020 Cause: Lightning
Fire size today: 2,764 acres Containment: 0%
Structures Lost: 0
245 firefighters total: 7 crews, 15 engines, 7 pieces of heavy equipment
Air Operations
Incident information: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6776
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