Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team Two
Top of Div Z a view from Crane Valley Interagency Hotshot Crew as they crest the ridge – pictures above and below
July 2 map of Spring Creek Fire
Indirect dozer line from Div P photo credit Mark Abrahamson HEQB
Afternoon operational update from the field July 2, 2023:
Crews are making great progress on both direct and indirect line.
In Division Z crews are working direct and in the black securing the line and looking for hot spots to extinguish.
In Division P crews continue to work on dozer line and clearing vegetation for the indirect line.
Today’s operational update from the Rocky Mountain Critical Incident Management Team 2.
Jeramy Dietz, Planning Operations Section Chief Trainee, delivers today’s operations plan and coordination with the Incident Meteorologist (IMET) and Long Term Fire Analyst (LTAN).
July 2, 2023
Jared Hohn, Incident Commander
Date Reported: June 24, 2023 Cause: Under Investigation Size: 2,925 acres Containment: 25%
Total Personnel: 521
Location: Southwest of Parachute, CO
Current Situation: The Spring Creek Fire experienced minimal growth yesterday.
Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 2 continued improving containment lines. While the percentage of containment remained about the same, firefighters are making good progress on the work of strengthening and connecting sections of fireline. Making sure the fireline is secure is especially important because there is a Red Flag Weather Warning predicted for July 4th. Fire managers are looking at the predicted conditions and are modeling fire behavior so they are prepared to deal with the likely conditions. The varied fuels and extreme terrain still present substantial challenges. Today firefighters will continue work to gain more containment around the fire, cool hot spots along the edge, cut snags that may carry fire across the lines if they fell, and strengthen current fireline. Crews may possibly ignite some pockets of unburned fuel in areas of dense vegetation to provide a wider barrier if weather conditions allow. Providing for firefighter safety is always a primary priority, but fire managers and firefighters are even more aware of the gravity of their work today, National Wildland Firefighter Day.
Spring Creek Road and High Mesa Road are open to local traffic only. Please avoid these areas if possible and drive with caution with increase in fire personnel on the roadway.
Weather & Smoke Information: The weather is predicted to continue to be warm and dry with clear skies for the next two days. Light NW winds of 5-10 mph are predicted. Overnight humidity recovery is expected to be poor causing the fire to become more active earlier in the day, but no significant movement is expected today. By Tuesday, the weather is predicted to grow warmer and much windier creating near critical fire weather conditions. The Spring Creek Fire is producing smoke that may affect air quality.
For information on current air quality and related health concerns, visit Garfield County air quality or AirNow.
Closures: Bureau of Land Management Colorado River Valley Field Office and US Forest Service White River National Forest have public land closure orders in place for the safety of public and firefighters.
Visit BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office and U.S. Forest Service – White River for closure orders.
Evacuations: There are no evacuations at this time. Residents are encouraged to register with Garfield County’s emergency notification system at: Garfield County Emergency Communications Authority. All evacuation orders will be conducted through the Sheriff’s office. Call recorded message line at 970-981-3401 for current evacuation information.
Temporary Flight Restrictions: There is a TFR (FDC 3/0215) in place for air space over the Spring Creek Fire to reduce impacts to fire aviation operators. Fire aviation response is halted or delayed if an unauthorized aircraft enters the TFR. Temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft system (UAS) or drones. If you fly, we can’t!
Fire Information Phoneline: (970) 414-1772 Time: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Facebook: Spring Creek Fire 2023 Email: 2023.springcreek@firenet.gov InciWeb: Spring Creek Fire Information