Above:  Map showing the locations of the Chateau and Weston Pass Fires, with data from about 11 p.m. MDT June 30, 2018.

(Originally published at 7:20 am MDT July 1, 2018)

The Chateau Fire is burning 24  miles west of Colorado Springs 7 miles northwest of Cripple Creek. Since it was reported June 29 it has been managed by Lohmire’s Type 4 Incident Management Team and has blackened 1,425 acres according to Sunday’s National Situation Report.

Another fire in that part of Colorado, the Weston Pass Fire, was reported June 28 and had burned an estimated 4,138 acres by 11 p.m. Saturday, which was the best guess after a mapping flight that was partially obscured by clouds. It is 64 miles WNW of Colorado Springs and 16 miles southeast of Leadville. Musser’s Type 3 Incident Management Team has been handling this fire.

Todd Pechota’s Type 1 Team mobilized Saturday and will eventually be assuming command of both incidents.

Both fires are highly visible and have structures nearby, which may explain dispatching a Type 1, rather than a Type 2 Team. But we have also noticed a recent trend in Colorado to attack fires more aggressively than in the recent past. Crews and aircraft have been responding earlier and in greater numbers than in previous years. This is a welcome development.