Above: The currently burning County Fire is shown along with other large fires from last year.
(Originally published at 12:55 p.m. PDT July 3, 2018)
The County Fire in Napa and Yolo Counties continued to grow Monday and Monday night, chewing up more vegetation on the west and southeast sides.
It has moved to within two miles of the Solano County line. If it proceeds beyond that and across Highway 128 it would threaten many homes in the Allendale and Vacaville area. If it grows around the southern tip of Lake Berryessa it could burn into the footprint of last October’s Atlas Fire, northeast of Napa, where the resistance to suppression would decrease dramatically.
CAL FIRE announced Tuesday that the County Fire had burned about 70,000 acres.
The fire is being battled by 2,162 personnel, including 187 engines, 56 hand crews, 18 helicopters, 50 dozers, and 51 water tenders.
This map shows the prediction for the distribution of smoke by late Tuesday afternoon. Large wildfires in California, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico are putting the stuff into the air.
Above: 3-D map of the Spring Creek Fire looking northwest.
(UPDATED at 12:57 p.m. MDT July 3, 2018)
The area where the Spring Creek Fire is located in south-central Colorado is under a Red Flag Warning today. At around noon a weather station near La Veta was recording temperatures in the mid-eighties, 9 percent relative humidity, and winds out of the west at 15 mph. On Wednesday the conditions should be similar, but with slightly higher humidity.
Tuesday afternoon the Incident Management Team changed their reported size of the fire to 78,941 acres — up from 60,710 earlier today.
(Originally published at 8 a.m. MDT July 3, 2018)
The Spring Creek Fire is burning homes and devastating tens of thousands of acres of private land 17 miles west of Walsenburg, Colorado. San Luis Valley 911 tweeted Monday night that 104 homes have been destroyed in the Forbes Park area.
Since it started June 27 it has blackened 60,710 acres, according to the official information from the Incident Management Teams Monday night. Our VERY UNOFFICIAL estimate is that at least 75,000 acres have burned as of early Tuesday morning.
CLICK HERE to see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Spring Creek Fire.
These maps were made with Google Earth using fire perimeter data collected at 12:53 a.m. MDT July 3, 2018 (the red line) by a U.S. Forest Service mapping aircraft. The yellow line was the perimeter about 24 hours before. We hope they will answer a few questions for local residents about which areas are within the burned perimeter. Of course if they are, it does not mean that the structures have been destroyed. Firefighters have no doubt worked hard to save many.
Map of the Spring Creek Fire.3-D map of the Spring Creek Fire looking southwest.
According to the Denver Post in a story published today the person who has been arrested for arson related to what is now the 56,820-acre Spring Creek Fire in south-central Colorado is in the United States illegally. Jesper Joergensen, who holds a Denmark passport, had a visa which has now expired.
Costilla County sheriff’s deputies are working on the case with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel.
Below is a statement from the Sheriff’s office released on June 30:
The initial cause of the fire was human caused. The investigation was lead by our office with the assistance of CBI, State arson investigators, CSP, and Immigration and Customs agents. Jesper Joergensen, 52, was arrested without incident by Costilla County deputies. Jesper is being held on Arson charges. The investigation is still on going so information on this matter is limited.
The Denver Post article mentions that the arrest warrant said about 25 homes had been destroyed in the fire, but fire officials on Monday are reporting that no structures have burned.
CLICK HERE to see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Spring Creek Fire.
(Originally published at 11:55 a.m. MDT July 2, 2018)
On July 1 the Predictive Services section at the National Interagency Fire Center issued their Wildland Fire Potential Outlook for July through October. The data represents the cumulative forecasts of the ten Geographic Area Predictive Services Units and the National Predictive Services Unit.
If their analysis is correct, in July the areas with the highest potential will move from the Southwest to Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, California, and northern Nevada.
Below are:
The highlights of the NIFC narrative report for the next several months;
NIFC’s monthly graphical outlooks;
NOAA’s three-month temperature and precipitation forecasts; and,
Drought Monitor.
“Abnormally dry conditions along the West Coast allowed for a northward expansion of drought into western Oregon and Washington in June. Some improvement was noted across the southern Great Plains while drought emergence was observed across the Lower Mississippi River Valley. Preexisting drought conditions and continued drier than average conditions across the Southwest allowed for a normal progression of the fire season across the Four Corners Region until mid-month when the remnants of Hurricane Bud moved north from Mexico and produced widespread wetting rainfall that reduced the elevated large fire potential in that area. While rainfall amounts that were greater than 200% of average were received across Arizona, New Mexico, and portions of southwestern Colorado, the Great Basin and California remained very dry receiving less than 10% of average precipitation. Temperatures across the West were near average for the month from the Pacific Coast east to the Continental Divide. East of the Divide, temperatures were near average.
“The southwestern monsoon is expected to arrive in early July and should reduce fire activity across the Southwest. A normal refocusing of fire activity north into the Great Basin and west into California is expected. The existence of a continuous grass from this year along with carryover of fine fuels from 2017 should lead to Above Normal Significant Large Fire Potential in these areas. By late July, fire activity is expected to increase across Oregon and Washington. Entry into the Western Fire Season will be delayed slightly across most of the Northern Rockies due to the persistent wet systems that impacted the region through… However, precipitation data shows an area of below average precipitation for June across extreme northwestern Montana and northern Idaho. As a result, both areas could experience an early entry into the fire. In Alaska, the fire season will gradually come to an end in July as precipitation events become more frequent.
“August is the peak of the Western fire season. Seasonal transitions focus the fire activity over the northwestern quarter of the country, though California also continues to experience significant activity. With significant carryover of fine fuels from last year and an average grass crop growth this year, elevated fire potential is expected August through early September in this region from California and the Central Great Basin north to the Canadian Border. Higher elevations in the mountains may also see elevated fire potential as well should warmer and drier than average conditions develop as expected.
The Spring Creek Fire showing updates from 9:13 p.m. MDT June 1, and from 2:01 p.m. MDT July 2, 2018. Click to enlarge.
A brief update on the Spring Creek Fire burning 17 miles west of Walsenburg, Colorado. Monday afternoon at 2:01 a satellite detected active fire on the north side of Mt. Maestas. At that time the fire had not made it down to the flatter terrain on the north side but it may have by sundown. There was also activity on the southeast side during the satellite overflight.
Portions of several highways are closed, including 69, 160, and 12.
Closed Roads. July 2, 2018. Colorado DOT.
(Updated at 12:27 p.m. MDT July 2, 2018)
On Sunday and Sunday night the Spring Creek Fire east of Fort Garland, Colorado spread closer to Highway 12, coming to within two miles in some places.
According to the Incident Management Team the fire has burned 56,820 acres with most of that being on private land. Approximately 2,878 structures are threatened but so far none have been destroyed.
Tuesday morning the management of the fire will be spilt with two Rocky Mountain Type 2 IMTs. The Blue Team will take the portion of the fire north of Highway 160.
CLICK HERE to see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Spring Creek Fire.
The IMT is concerned about outflow winds from passing thunderstorms Monday which could push the fire in any direction. The fire should become active before noon, and could be very active throughout the afternoon.
On the east side of the fire, growth has slowed somewhat as the fire moves into lighter fuels. Indirect contingency lines are being constructed, anchoring to the 421 road and Highway 12, with the goal of keeping the fire west of La Veta.
Below is more information from the IMT:
“On the south side in Division K, the fire has moved south of East Indian Creek and is progressing over the ridges of Raspberry Mountain, continuing downslope through heavy fuels. While this type of “backing” behavior (downhill growth), does not move as quickly as fire running up hill, the fire is expected to continue moving south/southwest toward Cuchara Village. The geography between Raspberry Mountain and the communities of Pinehaven and Cuchara Village is extremely challenging with significant beetle kill fuel, rough terrain and narrow canyons. This is a difficult area to place firefighters, as there are minimal escape routes should fire intensity change. As fire continues to push south, crews are constructing indirect line around the communities of Pinehaven and Cuchara Village and will prepare structures in this area in the event of fire spread. Expect to see large smoke columns in this area today.
“The fire is growing to the south-southwest in Divisions N and Z, pushing toward West Indian Creek. Crews are successfully implementing point protection for houses in the South Forbes community. Firefighters are scouting for opportunities to create indirect line to keep the fire north of West Indian Creek. On the southeast side of the fire, crews are working to construct fireline off Mallott Rd, moving from Division A south and east into Divisions Z and N to keep fire east of Trinchera.
“The west and northwest sides of the fire in Divisions A and D continue to hold. The 5% containment is along the northwest perimeter in Division D. Crews are scouting for options for more indirect line running from the ridges back into Highway 160.
“There is now a portable fire retardant plant east of La Veta. Aircraft will drop retardant on areas where its effects will be successful. Air tankers are in use, and the Spring Fire now has two National Guard Blackhawk helicopters participating in air operations along with currently assigned resources.”
