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Bear Creek Daily Update Aug 22, 2023
Bear Creek Fire
Publication Type: News 08/23/2023
Bear Creek Fire start date:
August 1, 2023
Location: 23 miles Northwest of Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Cause: Lightning
Incident Commander:
Jay Kurth
Management Team:
NIMO Team 1
Management: Suppression
Fire size today: 415 acres
Containment: 0%
Completion of Objectives: 67%
Personnel: 43
Evacuation Information:
Weminuche Valley is under pre-evacuation notice. Local residents should follow incident information and updates.
Closures:
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Cloman Park in Pagosa Springs
INCIDENT OBJECTIVES:
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Firefighter and Public safety are the highest priority.
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Protect private lands within the Weminuche Creek drainage, natural resources, cultural and historic sites, recreation assets and critical infrastructure including powerlines and gas utility lines.
Indirect control lines are being utilized to accomplish multiple objectives of full suppression in accessible parts of the fire and confinement in areas that are remote and/or present high safety risks to firefighters. Overall, 67% of these objectives have been completed.
The Bear Creek Fire was relatively inactive yesterday. “It’s a sleeping bear,” said Operations Section Chief, Brad Pietruszka. The fire did not show any significant growth again today, a trend for the past six days. The Multi-Mission Aircraft did not fly yesterday.
YESTERDAY’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
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Fire managers continued to use two masticators on the Mosca Road to the south of the fire to reduce fuels and to create an indirect contingency line.
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Firefighters remained alert for any changes in fire behavior.
TODAY’S PLAN:
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Complete fuels mitigation along the Mosca Road corridor with masticators.
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Continue structure protection with engine patrols.
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Assess any changes in fire behavior.
WEATHER:
Today’s weather will be similar to yesterdays with higher humidity in the morning and a 30% chance of isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. The temperatures will be in the high 70’s with 20 mph winds and gusts associated with the storms. Rain is predicted for Thursday.