Single Publication

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:  

Bear: 386 acres

Mosca: 6 acres

Containment:   0%  

Personnel:  112   

Evacuation Information: 

Weminuche Valley is under pre-evacuation notice. Local residents should follow incident information and updates.

Closures:  tinyurl.com/2vy7ec3p

• Fire area closure
• Cloman Park in Pagosa Springs

Latest Smoke Outlook:

outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/933fc4e4 

INCIDENT OBJECTIVES:

• Highest priority: Firefighter and Public safety.
• Protect private lands within the Weminuche Creek drainages, critical infrastructure including powerlines and gas utility lines, natural resources, cultural and historic sites, and recreation assets.

Fire behavior moderated yesterday thanks to cloud cover and higher relative humidity. The less fire-prone aspen stands to the east and south of the fire continued to slow growth. Firefighters have been unable to directly engage due to the dangerous loading of dead timber both standing and down. They are, however, prepared for when the fire backs down to the Weminuche Valley, providing an anchor point to begin suppression operations. Structure protection groups are in place and are assessing additional structures as well as monitoring the fire from the meadow day and night.

The Mosca Fire increased to 6-acres due to a 1-acre spot fire. Last night’s 1/10” wetting rain is predicted to significantly reduce fire spread today.  The fire is burning in a very remote area northwest of Bear Creek near Slide Mountain in very difficult terrain and fuel types. A National Incident Management Organization (NIMO), Team 1, assumed command of these incidents August 12th at 0600, providing additional capacity.

YESTERDAY’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

• Fire managers utilized 2 masticators on the Mosca Road to the south of the fire to begin creating a contingency line, should that be needed.
• Crews in the Weminuche Valley area assessed risk level to private land/structures and developed and implemented structure protection plans.
• Local ground fire resources continued to directly monitor fire growth and directional spread. These observations are critical to assessing the probability of success of the current incident strategy being achieved.

TODAY’S PLAN:

• Continue fuels mitigation along the Mosca Road corridor with masticators.
• Operational overhead will continue scouting indirect control opportunities to the south along the Mosca Road, tying that into the Weminuche Valley.
• Continue to collaboratively develop Management Action Points (MAP) with cooperators and stakeholders. MAPs are clearly specified incident conditions that, when reached, prompt a predefined fire management action or trigger the implementation of new strategies/tactics.
• Incoming fire division supervisors will be in place for when weather changes.

WEATHER:

The weather trend includes increasing chances of rain showers and cooler temperatures due to mostly cloudy skies.  Monsoon moisture is temporarily predicted to move into the region.

ncident Information: https://tinyurl.com/mrx4pp27

Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/mr2tpj69

Email :  2023.bearcreek@firenet.gov       Information Line : 970-426-5370