Single Publication

August 31, 2023  

Type 3 Team, Incident Commander: Nick Collard ICT3, Grif Cochran ICT3 (T)

Daily Update – 9:00 AM                                                                                                     

Highlights:  San Juan National Forest has lifted Stage 1 Fire Restrictions effective today. Fire activity is expected to be minimal with smoldering, creeping, and backing where pockets of heat remain. Scattered areas of heat may produce more smoke today as conditions continue to dry out. Resources are available to respond quickly if conditions change.

Quartz Ridge Fire: 1,840 acres, no change in acreage | 76% of objectives achieved | 56 personnel assigned

Crews continue to work on building a shaded fuel break along Quartz Meadows Rd (NFSR#684). Direct control lines are being utilized to suppress accessible parts of the fire and indirect control lines are providing confinement on remote areas that present high safety risks to firefighters.

Bear Creek Fire: 443 acres, no change in acreage | 82% of objectives achieved | 15 personnel assigned

Minimal fire behavior is expected, but more active fire behavior may produce smoke as conditions continue to dry out. Fire spread is not expected as fuel moistures remain elevated.

Weather: Thursday is looking drier with breezy conditions with increasing moisture holding off until late Friday into the weekend. Friday’s forecast continues to call for scattered showers and thunderstorms. Gusty and erratic winds can be expected near thunderstorms.

San Juan National Forest Temporary Closures:  Closure orders are in effect and additional information can be found here. Roads and trails within area closures are Quartz Meadows Rd (NFSR#684), Quartz Ridge Trail (NFST#570), Quartz Creek Trail (NFST#571), Little Sand Trail (NFST #591), and Shaw Creek Trail (NFST#584).

Pagosa Springs, Cloman Park: Cloman Park is no longer being used as a camp for fire crews and is available for public use as determined by the city.

Fire Information

Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM                                                          

Phone: 970-426-5370                    

Quartz Ridge Fire

Email: 2023.QuartzRidge@firenet.gov

InciWeb:

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/cosjf-quartz-ridge-fire

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095556640621

Bear Creek Fire

Email: 2023.BearCreek@firenet.gov

Inciweb

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/cosjf-bear-creek-fire

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095241777192

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