Single Publication

Interlaken Fire Update
June 22, 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 2:01 pm 

Cause: Human caused
Size: 698 acres            Containment: 96%            Total Personnel: 158
 

Today June 22, 2024, will be the last written update for the Interlaken Fire
Current Situation: The current Incident Management Team (IMT) will transition on Tuesday morning to a smaller organization. This transition is due to decreased fire activity and weather, allowing firefighters to gain more containment each day. Visitors to the area can expect to see a reduction in the Incident Base Camp at Dexter Point in the next few days. Supplies and equipment will be shipped back to the regional cache (storage facility) to be rehabilitated for the next fire.
 

Work continues in the fire area in preparation for the public’s re-entry. In Division Delta or the southeast side of the fire, crews have completed the suppression repair operations and backhaul is complete. In Division Zulu (southwest) area of the fire, crews plan to finish their repair efforts today. In Division Alpha, along the Interlaken Trail, firefighters will continue to allow the fire to creep down to the containment line. This slow progression of the fire will minimize the amount of vegetation without jeopardizing the aesthetics of the trail. Smoke may be visible along the northern edge of the fire as the fire burns to the trail. As fire crews’ complete operations, the closure area will be reevaluated, but the closure cannot be fully lifted until the area is safe for the public to enter.
 

Please continue to check for updates on the Interlaken Fire Facebook page, the PSICC Facebook page, or on Inciweb. Beginning, Monday, June 24 the Interlaken Fire information line will no longer be monitored, please refer all questions about closures or recreation opportunities to the Leadville Ranger District at (719)486-0749.
Remember: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) remains over the fire area. If you FLY, we CAN’T. Do not fly or operate your own drones in this area, is a FAA violation, and 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: Dry and warmer temperatures will return to the area today. Winds from the NW at 9 mph, expect gusty winds in the afternoon. High temperatures near 72 degrees and humidity is expected to reach 20%.
 

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 (until 6/24/24)         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