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: 1,374 acres

Containment: 0%

Personnel: 103

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.

Limited fire growth was east of the fire, with a new spot fire on the east side of Quartz Creek. Yesterday’s wetting rains, the 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 is burning in the South San Juan Wilderness in extremely steep terrain with standing and down dead trees; 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 used to support ground firefighters in this area, along with aerial supervision as needed.

YESTERDAY’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

• 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.
• Due to muddy roads and moderate fire behavior, limited personnel were able to access the area.

TODAY’S PLAN:

• Continue with suppression tactic reviews, with the 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 Road to the north of the fire and to the east.
• Continue to build structure protection plans both logistically and operationally.
• Identify lookout locations to track fire progress.

• Continue to develop Management Action Points.

WEATHER: The weather trend includes chances of rain showers and stable temperatures. Saturday morning the area received 1/10” of “wetting rain.” Monsoon moisture is temporarily predicted to move into the region Monday night.

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

Facebook : https://tinyurl.com/y87cycm4

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