Single Publication

The Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2 (Team 2) arrived in Pagosa Springs yesterday and is now managing the Plumtaw Fire. Fire management objectives are: 1) to utilize risk management to reduce risks to the public and to firefighters, and 2) to protect the Lost Valley of the San Juans subdivision and critical infrastructure, including the Fourmile Creek watershed, water intake, private lands, and additional infrastructure. Red Flag warnings continue today and near critical fire weather is expected. Winds will be west-southwest, 15-20 mph, gusting to 45 mph. Yesterday’s accomplishments:

•  A multi-mission aircraft flight provided better mapping of the fire’s size, which is now 727 acres.
• The fire’s foot print did not grow. Cloud cover diminished fire behavior and mitigated yesterday’s wind event.
• Different fuel types on the fire ground, including aspen stands and grassy meadows, also moderated fire activity. These fuel types do not carry fire as readily as the Ponderosa pine and Gambel oak prolific where the fire is burning.
• Structure groups continued to assess and prepare structures in the Lost Valley of the San Juan subdivision and provided point protection as needed.

• Crews are scouting locations, including roads adjacent to the subdivision, from which they could directly engage the fire, if conditions are favorable.
• Structure protection work will be completed.
• Helicopters will do bucket work as winds allow.
• More resources are arriving at the fire.