Firefighters prepare for firing operations on Middle Mamm Fire

RIFLE, Colo., October 6, 2019 – The Middle Mamm Fire grew to 985 acres Saturday. Much of the growth was in a large spot fire that established in Friday evening’s high winds. The spot remained almost entirely on National Forest System lands.

The spot fire burned in a decadent spruce-fir stand with numerous downed trees; this produced a good deal of smoke on Friday evening. It slowed subtantially when it reached a stand of green aspen.

Saturday, winds subsided and firefighters were able to place retardant along the northeast ridgeline. Crews are reinforcing containment lines on the west flank, and constructing new containment lines in preparation for firing operations. If conditions are appropriate and the firing takes place, increased smoke will likely be visible. These operations will most likely occur in late afternoon or early evening. These actions are a priority to limit the spread of the fire to private lands.

Firefighters removed vegetation and mowed around the three structures at the base of the ridgeline. Crews will continue to be available for structure protection.

A public meeting will be held at 4:00 p.m. this afternoon at the Garfield County Sheriff’s Annex, at 106 County Road
333-A in Rifle.

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Weather: A dry system will pass through the area on Sunday causing a wind shift to the north. The flow will shift back to the southwest on Monday. Wind speeds will generally be under 10 mph, but a few gusts up to 15 mph may be possible in the afternoon. Temperature is expected to be 52-57 degrees and 26-31 degrees overnight.

Drones: “If you fly, we can’t!” Unauthorized unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones over of near wildfires pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety, and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations. Please don’t fly over or near wildfires.

Public meeting, Sunday, October 6, 4:00 p.m.
Garfield County Sheriff’s Annex

Persistent winds push Middle Mamm Fire

RIFLE, Colo., October 4, 2019 – Persistent, gusting winds pushed the Middle Mamm Fire north into Gant Gulch Friday evening. An infrared flight estimated the fire at 941 acres; more growth is expected tomorrow.

For several weeks, crews have been building and reinforcing contingency line, conducting firing operations and using helicopters to drop water on spot fires and prevent the fire from advancing toward private property. Today, gusting winds prevented air resources from placing retardant and assisting with bucket drops.

Fire managers recognized the need for additional support in the face of extended difficult weather conditions, and additional crews and air resources have been arriving throughout the week. Another crew and more air resources are expected this weekend.

Saturday, winds are expected to subside. Air resources will place retardant along the northwest ridgeline to slow the fire’s progression and allow crews on the ground more time to construct and reinforce containment line. An engine is positioned at the end of CR 319 (West Mamm) for potential structure protection.

The Garfield County Sheriff will be closing CR 319 (West Mamm) at the intersection of 322 (Shafer Road); only residents and emergency vehicles will be allowed to pass.

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Drones: “If you fly, we can’t!” Unauthorized unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones over of near wildfires pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety, and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations. Please don’t fly over or near wildfires.

Middle Mamm Fire Information

12:00 noon, Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Fire Information: 970-930-1548 or 2019.MiddleMamm@firenet.gov

Public meeting tonight, Tuesday, September 3, 6:00 p.m. at the Garfield County Sheriff’s Annex.

Acres: 250 acres
Cause: Lightning
Resources on Scene: 36 personnel, 1 Type 3 helicopter
Start Date: July 28, 2019
Location: 10 miles south of Rifle, CO
Fuels/Topography: Mixed conifer and aspen with accumulated dead and downed trees

For immediate release

Rifle, Colorado, September 3, 2019 – The Middle Mamm Fire will continue to be managed for resource benefits as fall approaches. Fire crews have completed indirect contingency lines to protect private property and infrastructure. Fire crews will remain on scene into the foreseeable future to actively manage the fire.

Though fire activity has been minimal during the past week, the fire will continue to burn as more vegetation dries out. The fire is expected to remain low-to-moderate intensity, burning through dead and diseased trees and thick brush. Occasionally, concentrations of fuels may cause increased fire activity and smoke.

The beneficial effects of this fire will be long term, yet many can be seen soon after the fire. When brush and timber is burned, meadows and aspen stands are revitalized providing excellent wildlife habitat. “Wildlife such as elk, deer, moose and bighorn sheep benefit as new forage increases and openings are created in dense forest stands,” said Natasha Goedert, White River National Forest Wildlife Biologist.

The fire is burning in a mosaic pattern, leaving islands of unburned trees. In the areas that have burned, nutrients are quickly returned to the soil and an increase in sunlight allows for new trees to grow. This leads to a diversity in the age of trees, resulting in a healthier ecosystem that can better resist disease and future wildfires.

As the fire performs its natural role, fire managers will continually assess fire behavior and safety considerations. While there are no closures currently in place, if firefighter or public safety is at risk a fire area closure may be implemented. Smoke will continue to be visible near Rifle, Silt and I-70.

Acreage on the Middle Mamm Fire will be updated as that information is available.

For information on local air quality, please visit Garfield County Air Quality Management at: https://www.garfield-county.com/air-quality/index.aspx

For statewide information on smoke and air quality from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, please visit: https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colo_advisory.aspx.

If you fly, we can’t: Unauthorized use of drones in the fire area poses serious risks to firefighter safety. When a drone is sighted, helicopters must stop operating. This puts firefighters at risk, and reduces the effectiveness of operations to manage this fire.

For more information about the Middle Mamm Fire, please visit:

InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6527

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiddleMammFire/

Twitter: @WhiteRiverNews

Middle Mamm Fire Information

10:00 a.m., Friday, August 30, 2019

Fire Information: 970-930-1548 or 2019.MiddleMamm@firenet.gov

A public meeting on the Middle Mamm Fire will be held 6:00 pm Tuesday, September 3 at Garfield County Sheriff’s Annex

Fire: Middle Mamm
Acres: 250 acres
Cause: Lightning
Resources on Scene: 58 personnel, 1 Type 3 helicopter
Start Date: July 28, 2019
Location: 10 miles south of Rifle, CO
Fuels/Topography: Mixed conifer and aspen with accumulated dead and downed trees.

For immediate release

Rifle, Colorado, August 30, 2019 – A public meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 3 to update the public on the progress and outlook for the Middle Mamm Fire. The meeting will be held at the Garfield County Sheriff’s Annex, at 106 County Road 333-A, Rifle, Colorado.

The meeting will address fire management strategies and objectives specific to the Middle Mamm Fire, and provide opportunities to ask questions of fire managers and Forest Service officials.

Firefighters have been actively managing the fire to improve forest health and wildlife habitat, and reduce the chance of a future large, destructive wildfire.

The fire, ten miles south of Rifle, is not threatening homes or private property at this time. Firefighters are building indirect hand lines and fuel breaks as contingency measures to protect private property and associated infrastructure, in case the fire spreads in those directions.

When necessary, they take action to slow the fire’s growth, allowing the low-intensity fire to slowly and steadily consume accumulated dead and down fuels, and remove trees weakened by insects and disease.

The fire was started by lightning on July 28. It has grown slowly at low intensity, and was measured at 250 acres on August 27.

As the fire performs its natural role, fire managers are working to minimize impacts to local recreation and economic activity. Smoke will continue to be visible near Rifle and Silt. For information on local air quality, please visit Garfield County Air Quality Management at: https://www.garfield-county.com/air-quality/index.aspx For statewide information on smoke and air quality from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, please visit: https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colo_advisory.aspx.

If you fly, we can’t: Unauthorized use of drones in the fire area poses serious risks to firefighter safety. When a drone is sighted, helicopters must stop operating. This puts firefighters at risk, and reduces the effectiveness of operations to manage this fire. Please remember: If you fly, we can’t.

For more information about the Middle Mamm Fire, please visit:

InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6527

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiddleMammFire/

Twitter: @WhiteRiverNews

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Fire: Middle Mamm Start Date: July 28, 2019

Acres: Estimated 113 Acres Location: 10 miles south of Rifle, CO

Cause: Lightning Fuels/Topography: Mixed conifer and

Resources On Scene: aspen with accumulated dead and downed

15 personnel, trees.

1 Type 3 helicopter

Rifle, Colo., August 20, 2019 – Drier weather has influenced fire behavior on the managed Middle Mamm Fire, and increased smoke from the fire is visible along the I-70 corridor south of Rifle.

Monday, firefighters placed a Remote Automated Weather Station (RAWS) near the fire to monitor humidity and factors that impact fire behavior. Crews are using air and ground resources to track the fire’s activity and assess its growth.

Firefighters continue to make progress on the Little Bear Fire despite steep and difficult terrain. Firefighters are taking advantage of weather conditions to ensure the fire continues to meet multiple resource objectives including:

• Reduce the potential for unwanted stand replacement fires by reducing densities of shade tolerant conifer (blue spruce, white fir) seedlings and saplings and raise tree canopy heights by scorching lower branches to reduce ladder fuels.

• Reduce treatment generated and natural ground fuels and brush while maintaining post thinning structure within thinned areas.

• Promote Aspen regeneration and health of Ponderosa pine stands by reducing shade tolerant conifers in the understory and creating open spaces.

People recreating in the fire area are encouraged to plan accordingly as the smoke and suppression efforts may cause travel delays and limit access to some areas during the Labor Day holiday weekend. As a precaution and for firefighter and public safety, fire managers are asking for the public’s assistance by slowing down and driving safely, since smoke and dust from fire traffic on roads is expected to affect visibility at times. Fire managers also ask the public to limit their activities in the Badger Creek and Skunk Creek drainages to minimize impacts to firefighting efforts.

Forest officials ask the public to be extremely careful with all flammable materials and to ensure campfires are completely out and cold to the touch. With the increase in temperatures and decrease in humidity, fuels are drying out quickly and the potential for wildfire ignitions rises daily.

LITTLE BEAR OVERVIEW

Discovery Date: July 26, 2019.

Cause: Lightning.

Location: Approximately 7 miles southeast of Hatch along Badger Creek on the Powell Ranger District of the Dixie National Forest

Current Resources: One crew, three engines, and two miscellaneous fire management personnel

Total personnel: 99

Current Size: About 2,145 acres

Predicted Smoke Impacts: Smoke is expected to be visible from both the north and east of Tropic Reservoir with some reaching Bryce Canyon National Park and the town, of Tropic and Bryce Canyon City

Current Closures: Dixie National Forest managers have NOT implemented any Closure Orders at this time

Recent and Current Operations: Expecting moderate growth with active fire behavior. Firing operations will continue to containment lines and allowing the fire to continue to back towards containment lines.

Stay connected, visit the Dixie National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/dixie, like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/usfsdnf, and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usfsdnf for the latest information.

DIXIE NATIONAL FOREST – The Little Bear Fire has continued to steadily increase in size for the past week and is currently estimated at 1,919 acres. Warm, dry days are in the forecast for the next several days and the fire is expected to continue its path through remaining unburned fuels in the area.

Smoke will continue to be seen from the Little Bear Fire in the days ahead as weather conditions remain dry and warm with the possibility of precipitation towards the end of the week. These conditions have proved favorable to allow the Little Bear Fire to spread gently and moderately, while consuming acres of dead and down vegetation such as pine needles, dry brush and grass. Interior pockets of dead fuel and overgrowth will continue to smolder until a wetting rain event occurs.

Fire managers conducted air reconnaissance yesterday to assess movement of the fire within the interior and evaluate actions necessary in order to hold and secure confinement of the Little Bear Fire within the pre-identified planning area. After aerial reconnaissance, fire managers feel confident the Little Bear Fire is meeting the objective of functioning as a natural disturbance within the ecosystem as it reduces accumulations of forest fuels such as dead and down vegetation and encroaching, unhealthy stands.

Fire managers called in a Type I Helicopter to keep the fire in check, lower the intensity of the fire, while ensuring wildland firefighter safety, and to ensure the fire continues to meet multiple resource objectives including:

• Reduce the potential for unwanted stand replacement fires by reducing densities of shade tolerant conifer (blue spruce, white fir) seedlings and saplings and raise tree canopy heights by scorching lower branches to reduce ladder fuels.

• Reduce treatment generated and natural ground fuels and brush while maintaining post thinning structure within thinned areas.

Today, fire crews will focus on patrolling and holding the fire as necessary. Additional resources have been ordered and will be on scene today working to ensure fire stays within the planning area perimeter.

One of the main objectives for utilizing the Little Bear Fire within the planning area is for resource benefit. The fire managers are using a variety of methods to confine the fire within the predetermined area. These methods include the usage of natural barriers and constructed fire line while tactical firing operations along the perimeter are incorporated to add depth to the line. Once the line is completed, it slows or stops fire as it approaches.

The Little Bear Fire poses no danger to structures or other local infrastructure. As with all fires on the Dixie National Forest, public and fire fighter safety is the highest priority.

LITTLE BEAR OVERVIEW

Discovery Date: July 26, 2019.

Cause: Lightning.

Location: Approximately 7 miles southeast of Hatch along Badger Creek on the Powell Ranger District of the Dixie National Forest

Current Resources: One crew, three engines, and two miscellaneous fire management personnel

Total personnel: 79

Current Size: About 1919 acres

Predicted Smoke Impacts: Smoke is expected to be visible from both the north and east of Tropic Reservoir with some reaching Bryce Canyon National Park and the town, of Tropic and Bryce Canyon City

Current Closures: Dixie National Forest managers have NOT implemented any Closure Orders at this time

Recent and Current Operations: Wildland fire crews plan to continue improving roads and other designated control features around the perimeter within which the fire can move