Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
Unaweep Wildfire Module 1 set up a time lapse camera on a prominent lookout west of Sugarloaf Mountain near where they were working on the southeast side of the fire. The view is looking north over the Horse Creek drainage capturing the #DerbyFire as it spread east from the morning of August 21 through the morning of August 24, 2025. Images were captured every 5 minutes. WFM1 Unaweep is based in Grand Junction, CO. #FireYear2025
Video: Clouds move past a dirt road as firefighters and engines periodically move past. Smoke rises from the right-hand side of the video, growing more intense as the Derby Fire spreads east. In the evening hours, the smoke glows yellow and red.
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3, Incident Commander Mike Behrens
Location: 13 miles north of Dotsero, CO Start Date: 8/16/2025; Cause: Lightning Size: Est. 5,736 acres Completion/Containment: 5% Total personnel 692
Key Message:
Firefighters continue suppression efforts. Smoldering and lone tree torching persist at higher elevations. Transfer of Command from Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3 to Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 3 will occur at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 30, 2025.
Current Status:
Firefighters continue scouting opportunities to construct indirect dozer line on the west side of the fire as well as possibilities to engage direct. On the southern and southeastern flanks, crews are patrolling, mopping up and cold trailing. Cold trailing involves gently feeling the ground and partially burned vegetation for residual heat and extinguishing any remaining hotspots. On the eastern perimeter, firefighters are progressing with indirect handline construction as weather conditions permit. Structure protection crews are working to improve and maintain fire defenses around more than 500 structures along Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek, and Red Dirt Creek Road.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR:
Remnants of Hurricane Juliette will bring showers and thunderstorms on Friday, with potential for localized flash flooding and light debris flows. Over the past five days, the fire area received 0.75 inches of rain – more than 100 million gallons of water. Fire activity will be minimal until conditions dry out and several days of low relative humidity make fuels more flammable. However, low moisture levels in dead and downed trees will continue to produce isolated pockets of smoldering in higher elevation conifer stands. Isolated tree torching in subalpine firs is possible. Smoke may increase when sunlight re-energizes these pockets of heat. Gradually warmer and drier weather is expected beginning Sunday.
The Colorado River, Sweetwater, and Red Dirt Creek Roads have all been reopened, and the Garfield County and Eagle County Sheriff’s Offices have changed the evacuation status for Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek and Red Dirt Creek areas to pre-evacuation (READY) status: https://arcg.is/S0u4G and www.ecemergency.org.
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the Derby Fire. All unauthorized aircraft (including drones) are prohibited from flying near the fire, as they can interfere with authorized air support operations. For more information, visit https://tfr.faa.gov.
All monitors showing GOOD air quality this morning and forecasted to remain GOOD all day. Very little smoke seen on the fire yesterday and the IR flight last night showed very little heat.
Equipo 3 de Gestión de Incidentes Complejos de las Montañas Rocosas del Norte, Comandante de Incidente Mike Behrens Ubicación: 13 millas al oeste de Dotsero, CO Fecha de inicio: 08/16/2025; Causa: Rayos Tamaño: Est. 5,736 acres Finalización/Contención: 5% Personal total: 692
Mensaje clave:
Los bomberos continúan las labores de extinción. Persisten las llamas latentes y la quema de árboles solitarios en las zonas más altas. El traspaso del mando del Equipo 3 de Gestión de Incidentes Complejos de las Montañas Rocosas del Norte al Equipo 3 de Gestión de Incidentes Complejos de las Montañas Rocosas tendrá lugar a las 6:00 a. m. del sábado, el 30 de agosto de 2025.
Estado actual:
Los bomberos continúan explorando oportunidades para construir una línea indirecta con excavadoras en el lado oeste del incendio, así como para intervenir directamente. En los flancos sur y sureste, las cuadrillas están patrullando, y continuando con la liquidación y rastreo en frío. Este sistema consiste en tocando con cuidado el suelo y la vegetación parcialmente quemada para detectar calor residual y extinguir cualquier foco de incendio restante. En el perímetro este, los bomberos avanzan con la construcción de una línea manual indirecta según lo permitan las condiciones climáticas. Las cuadrillas de protección de estructuras trabajan para mejorar y mantener las defensas contra incendios en torno a más de 500 estructuras a lo largo de Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek y Red Dirt Creek Road.
Comportamiento del clima y el fuego
Los remanentes del huracán Juliette traerán lluvias y tormentas eléctricas el viernes, con potencial de inundaciones repentinas localizadas y flujos de escombros leves. Durante los últimos cinco días, la zona del incendio recibió 0.75 pulgadas de lluvia, lo que equivale a más de 100 millones de galones de agua. La actividad del fuego será mínima hasta que las condiciones se sequen y varios días de baja humedad relativa aumenten la inflamabilidad de los combustibles. Sin embargo, los bajos niveles de humedad en los árboles muertos y caídos continuarán produciendo focos aislados de llamas latentes en las arboledas de coníferas de mayor altitud. Es posible que se quemen algunos árboles en abetos subalpinos. El humo podría aumentar cuando la luz solar revitalice estos focos de calor. Se espera un clima gradualmente más cálido y seco a partir del domingo.
Se han reabierto los caminos Colorado River Road, Sweetwater Road y Red Dirt Creek. Los condados Eagle y Garfield han cambiado el estado de evacuación para los residentes de Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek, y Red Dirt Creek a “LISTOS”, la etapa 1 del proceso de evacuaciones que significa que “esté preparados”: https://arcg.is/S0u4G o https://sites.google.com/eaglecounty.us/ecemergencyespanol/inicio.
Se prohíbe el vuelo de aeronaves no autorizadas (incluidos drones) cerca del incendio, ya que pueden interferir con las operaciones de apoyo aéreo autorizadas. Para más información, visite https://tfr.faa.gov.
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
#DerbyFire Ops Update Friday morning, Aug. 29, 2025. Phillip Knaub, Operations Sections Chief, discusses firefighting tactics on the Derby Fire. Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 3 transitions to Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team 3 Saturday August 30th at 6AM. As the drying trend continues through the weekend and into next week, smoke visibility will increase. Crews are working along the southern edge improving containment lines and continuing to extinguish any hot spots. Along the western edge, firefighters are working to create secondary handlines and dozer lines. Along the eastern side, crews are digging handlines to tie into existing lines and continue mopup operations.
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
Derby Fire Weather Update, Friday, August 29, 2025
Samuel Scoleri, Incident Meteorologist trainee, shares the weather forecast for the next few days on the Derby Fire north of Dotsero, CO. Remnants of Hurricane Juliette will bring wetting rain and possible thunderstorms today. Please be cautious as there’s potential for localized flash flooding and light debris flows over roadways. Beginning Sunday, the weather will be gradually warmer and drier.
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
Wildland firefighting can be dangerous work, and our crews are always preparing for the unexpected. In this video, a Forest Service fire suppression module practices training for what to do if a firefighter is hurt on the fireline or in a remote area. These drills make sure that if the unfortunate happens, crews are ready to take care of each other and get everyone home safe.
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
Today marks the wrap-up of operations at the Livestock Evacuation Center in Eagle County. Many residents have safely picked up their animals and returned home. We’re grateful to everyone who helped care for these animals during the fire response, and to the community for their support. The Small Animal Shelter remains open for anyone who still needs a safe place for pets.
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3, Incident Commander Mike Behrens
Location: 13 miles north of Dotsero, CO Start Date: 8/16/2025; Cause: Lightning Size: Est. 5,723 acres Completion/Containment: 4% 864 total personnel
KEY MESSAGE:
The Colorado River, Sweetwater, and Red Dirt Creek roads have all been reopened. The Garfield and Eagle County Sheriff’s Offices have changed the evacuation status for Sweetwater Valley and Sheep Creek and Red Dirt Creek areas to pre-evacuation (READY) status. The Forest Service and BLM have both reduced the size of their closure areas. Firefighters have built almost 11 miles of control lines, and the Derby Fire has been declared 4% contained.
CURRENT STATUS:
Showers have temporarily moderated fire activity this week, but incident managers predict wildfire activity will increase again when the weather warms and fuels dry out. Firefighters have constructed almost 11 miles of handlines and dozerlines along the east, south, and west fire perimeters. The Derby Fire has been declared 4% contained. The term “containment” is used when fire managers are confident that wind and weather conditions will not push the fire past completed control lines. Crews will work to strengthen and widen fire lines as weather and conditions allow. Air support is scouting for potential helispot sites, and structure protection crews are continuing to improve fire defenses around more than 500 structures along Sweetwater Road and Red Dirt Creek Road.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR:
Incident meteorologists predict that showers will continue Wednesday and probably through the rest of this week before warmer weather returns early next week. Daytime smoke and nighttime fire glows may be visible at times when fuels dry out and fire activity increases.
CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES:
The Colorado River, Sweetwater, and Red Dirt Creek Roads have all been reopened, and the Garfield County and Eagle County Sheriff’s Offices have changed the evacuation status for Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek and Red Dirt Creek areas to pre-evacuation (READY) status. More evacuation information is available at https://arcg.is/S0u4G and www.ecemergency.org.
Equipo 3 de Gestión de Incidentes Complejos de las Montañas Rocosas del Norte, Comandante de Incidente Mike Behrens
Ubicación: 13 millas al oeste de Dotsero, CO Fecha de inicio: 08/16/2025; Causa: Rayos Tamaño: Est. 5723 acres Finalización/Contención: 4% 864 Personal total
MENSAJE CLAVE:
Se han reabierto los caminos Colorado River Road, Sweetwater Road y Red Dirt Creek Road. Las Oficinas del Sheriff del Condado de Garfield y del Condado de Eagle han cambiado el estado de evacuación de las áreas de Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek y Red Dirt Creek a pre-evacuación (LISTOS). El Servicio Forestal y la Oficina de Administración de Tierras (BLM por sus siglas en inglés) han reducido el tamaño de sus zonas de cierre. Los bomberos han construido casi 11 millas de líneas de control, y el incendio Derby ha sido declarado contenido en un 4%.
ESTADO ACTUAL:
Las lluvias han moderado temporalmente la actividad del incendio esta semana, pero los administradores del incidente predicen que la actividad del incendio aumentará de nuevo cuando el clima mejore y los combustibles se sequen. Los bomberos han construido casi 11 millas de líneas de mano y líneas de excavadora a lo largo de los perímetros este, sur y oeste del incendio. El incendio Derby ha sido declarado contenido en un 4%. El término “contención” se utiliza cuando los administradores del incendio confían en que las condiciones del viento y el clima no extenderán el incendio más allá de las líneas de control ya establecidas. Los equipos trabajarán para reforzar y ampliar las líneas de control según lo permitan el clima y las condiciones. El apoyo aéreo está explorando posibles ubicaciones para helipuertos, y los equipos de protección de estructuras continúan mejorando las defensas contra incendios en torno a más de 500 estructuras a lo largo de Sweetwater Road y Red Dirt Creek Road.
COMPORTAMIENTO DEL CLIMA Y EL FUEGO
Los meteorólogos del incidente pronostican que las lluvias continuarán el miércoles y probablemente durante el resto de la semana, antes de que el clima sea más cálido a principios de la próxima semana. Es posible que se observen humo diurno y resplandores de fuego nocturno cuando los combustibles se sequen y aumente la actividad del incendio.
CIERRES Y MENSAJES ESPECIALES
Se han reabierto los caminios Colorado River Road, Sweetwater Road y Red Dirt Creek. Los condados Eagle y Garfield han cambiado el estado de evacuación para los residentes de Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek, y Red Dirt Creek a “LISTOS”, la etapa 1 del proceso de evacuaciones que significa que “esté preparados”. Para más información, incluido dónde refugiarse y recursos para mascotas y ganado, visite https://arcg.is/S0u4G o https://sites.google.com/eaglec…/ecemergencyespanol/inicio.
El Servicio Forestal y el BLM han reducido el tamaño de sus áreas de cierre. La orden de cierre y el mapa del Bosque Nacional White River están publicados en https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/whiteriver. La orden de cierre y el mapa de la Oficina de Campo del Valle del Río Colorado de BLM se publican en https://www.blm.gov/…/blm-issues-land-closure-garfield…. Existe una restricción temporal de vuelo (TFR por sus siglas en inglés) sobre el incendio de Derby.
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
#DerbyFire Ops Update Monday morning, Aug. 27, 2025. Philip Knaub, Operations Sections Chief, discusses firefighting tactics on the Derby Fire. The Derby Fire is now 4% contained. Firefighters were able to access the southeast fire perimeter yesterday and are confident that any changes in weather conditions will not push the fire over the control line in this area. Look for a black line on the fire map to illustrate containment. Rain reached most areas of the fire yesterday, however, dead and down trees continue to hold heat. Large fuels are slow to accept moisture and will continue to smolder. As the weather dries out later this week, we expect to see more active fire behavior. On the east and west sides of the fire perimeter, firefighters are scouting for opportunities to continue to build line with handcrews and heavy equipment.
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
Derby Fire Weather update 8-27-2025
Incident Meteorologist, Ryan Fliehman, discusses the upcoming weather forecast. Light rain is expected throughout the morning today, with a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. This wet pattern will continue through Thursday, with a slow drying trend beginning on Friday, extending through the weekend.
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
The #DerbyFire gained almost two hundred more personnel over recent days, primarily additional handcrews and engines. Resource needs are evaluated daily and increased or decreased depending on the needs of the fire. When local and regional resources are already engaged responding to fires, resources may come from all over the country to assist. Personnel may serve up to 14-21 day shifts before they’re required to come off an incident to rest. #FireYear2025
Photo: A Florida Suppression Module gather for a photo where they were organizing and preparing structure protection equipment in the Sweetwater Canyon area during the rains on Monday, August 25, 2025. S.Rawding/Derby Fire.
Video shows a glimpse of some of the animals that were cared for at the livestock center.
