Single Publication

Interlaken Fire Update

June 20, 2024, at 9:00 a.m.  

Type 3 Incident Management Team, 

Nick Ostrom, Incident Commander                                                                                                                      

Location: 7 miles S-SW of Leadville, Colorado         

Date Reported: June 11, 2024, at 2:01pm   Cause: Human caused

Size: 745 acres                                       Containment: 94%                                    Total Personnel: 226

Current Situation: Weather has given relief to the firefighters working on the Interlaken Fire. “I am impressed with all the hard work that has gone into fighting this fire, says Incident Commander Nick Ostrom, “We have made great progress in suppressing this fire in a short amount of time. The corporation from the community and local agencies has been the greatest example of teamwork.” 

Local Resource Advisors are working closely with firefighters to implement suppression repair actions on the Interlaken fire. Suppression repair on a wildfire is completed to reduce the impacts that crews and equipment made during firefighting operations. Weather events, particularly rain, can cause surface soil to slide down hills, into gullies and streams. Repair efforts reduce potential soil erosion and repair damage to infrastructure. On the Interlaken Fire, this repair of suppression efforts is already underway throughout the fire area. 

Crews are hauling hose and equipment off the line and back to camp. On the Interlaken fire hose lays were used to cool the fire along the containment line. This action used miles of hose to extinguish the hot spots. After the hoses are brought back to camp, supply camp crews inspect and re-roll the hose to be sent back to the fire cache (regional storage facility) to be cleaned and ready for the next fire. 

Fire managers utilized Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) (drones) yesterday to detect any residual heat and identify any suppression actions that need to be addressed. Please remember. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the fire area. If you FLY, we CAN’T. Do not fly or operate your own drones in this area, as it will impede firefighting efforts and ground our aircraft. 

Smoke: Air quality monitors in the area are indicating good and excellent around the Interlaken fire area.  https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colo_smoke.aspx) Visit https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/ for resources on smoke.

Weather: Expect an increase in showers and thunderstorms for Thursday and Friday with locally heavy rain possible. Maximum temperatures near 75 degrees with relative humidity 21-26 percent. 

Closures: A reduction in the Forest Service closure order went into effect on 6-18-24. Several recreation sites, campgrounds and trails have reopened, however there is still closure area in effect. Please check the official order from the Forest Service. Refer to the PSICC website and check under FIRE RESTRICTIONS AND FOREST ORDERS on the main page. See closure map here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/.../FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1181904.pdf, and closure order here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/.../FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1181903.pdf.

Evacuations: There are no evacuations in place.  To sign up for emergency alerts in Lake County, visit: https://member.everbridge.net/892807736726383/login and in Chaffee County, https://member.everbridge.net/892807736725694/login

Interlaken Fire INFORMATION

Fire Information Phoneline:  719-301-4284 (Time: 7am-7pm)                           

Email: 2024.interlaken@firenet.gov

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560818226034 (“Interlaken Fire Information”)

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/copsf-interlaken-fire