Single Publication

Fire start date:   August 5, 2023

Cause:  Lightning

Location:  13 miles Northeast of Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Incident Commander:

Jay Kurth

Management Team:

NIMO Team 1

Management:

Suppression

Fire size today: 1,366 acres

Containment: 0%

Personnel: 100

Evacuation Information:

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

Closures: tinyurl.com/mpt9jeds

• 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:

• Highest priority: Firefighter and Public safety.
• Protect private lands within East Fork San Juan River drainage, critical infrastructure including powerlines and gas utility lines, natural resources, cultural and historic sites, and recreation assets.

Fire growth yesterday was mostly limited to the southeast corner of the fire, where activity along the ridgeline included isolated torching and spotting. Several days of cooler temperatures and higher humidity will slow the fire’s growth; however, fire behavior analysts anticipate the weather will only slow fire growth until warm weather returns. The influx of moisture also 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 (NIMO) Team 1 with Incident Commander Jay Kurth, assumed command of the incident August 12th at 0600, providing additional capacity and oversight.

YESTERDAY’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

• Crews identified more structures and values at risk to the northeast of the fire, anticipating potential movement towards East Fork of the San Juan River.
• Crews continued performing fire mitigation for exposed sections of the Xcel Energy gas pipeline, located to the north of the fire along Forest Road 667.
• Crews assessed alternate suppression options within Quartz Creek.
• IMT operational leadership reconned the fire area with aviation resources assigned to the fire, developing real-time situational awareness.

• Continued 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.

TODAY’S PLAN:

• Continue with suppression tactic reviews, with objective of keeping the fire south of E. Fork Trail. Identify additional values at risk toward Elwood Pass.
• Continue to scout viable control features and contingency lines, particularly on the East Fork.
• Continue to build structure protection plan both logistically and operationally.
• Identify lookout locations to track fire progress.

• Continue to develop Management Action Points.

WEATHER: The weather trend includes increasing chances of rain showers and cooler temperatures.  Yesterday the area received 1/10” of “wetting rain”. Monsoon moisture is temporarily predicted to move into the region.

Incident Information : https://tinyurl.com/mr37bhnr

Facebook : https://tinyurl.com/y87cycm4

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