Single Publication

Fire start date:   August 5, 2023

Fire size today:   1,298 acres

Containment:   0%

Location:  13 miles Northeast of Pagosa Springs, Colorado 

Personnel:   60         

Cause:    Lightning

Management:   Suppression

Evacuation Information:

There are no current evacuations. Local residents should follow incident information for updates.

Closures:

• Quartz Meadows Rd (NFSR#685)
• Quartz Ridge Trail (NFST#570)
• Quartz Creek Trail (NFST#571)

Latest Smoke Outlook:

https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/933fc4e4

INCIDENT OBJECTIVES:

• Firefighter and Public safety will be the highest priority during this incident.
• To protect private lands within East Fork San Juan River drainage, critical infrastructure including powerlines and gas utility lines, as well as natural resources, cultural and historic sites, and recreation assets.

Fire behavior remained moderate yesterday thanks to cloud cover and higher relative humidity. Several days of cooler temperatures and higher humidity will slow the fire’s growth; however, this fact does not change the risk factors preventing firefighters from engaging the fire directly. The fire area in the South San Juan Wilderness is extremely steep and heavily loaded with dead timber both standing and down; this elevates the risk to firefighters and aviators. These risk factors also exist in the Quartz Creek drainage, preventing crews from engaging the spot fires that are now established on the east side of the creek. Aviation assets may be utilized to support ground firefighters in this area, along with aerial supervision as needed. A National Incident Management Organization Team will assume command of the incident August 12th at 0600, providing additional capacity and oversight.

YESTERDAY’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

• Ground crews assessed potential access to the spot fires on the east side of the fire, but determined access was too hazardous to hike crews in.
• Ground fire resources continued to directly monitor fire growth and directional spread. San Juan Type 3 incident Management Team (IMT) worked with local cooperators to develop long-term, strategic plans for fire suppression.
• Fire managers developed plans for when the fire reaches terrain more favorable for engagement.

TODAY’S PLAN:

• Crews will identify more structures and values at risk to the northeast of the fire, anticipating potential movement towards East Fork of the San Juan River.
• Crews will continue performing fire mitigation for exposed sections of the Xcel Energy gas pipeline, located to the north of the fire along Forest Road 667.
• Crews will be assessing alternate suppression options within Quartz Creek.
• IMT operational leadership will recon the fire area with aviation resources assigned to the fire, developing real-time situational awareness.
• Continue to develop Management Action Points, which are clearly specified incident conditions that, when reached, prompt a predefined fire management action or trigger the implementation of new strategies/tactics.
• Communicate with landowners, affected utilities, and county stakeholders.

WEATHER:

The weather trend includes increasing chances of rain showers. Gusty outflow winds and lightning that are the concerns for firefighters.