Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management – Team 3
Total acreage: 3,569 acres with 0% containment 211 personnel/resources assigned Resources continue to arrive to the fire and will be beginning assignments today!
Superficie total: 3,569 acres con 0% de contención 211 personas/recursos asignados ¡ Los recursos continúan llegando al incendio y comenzarán sus asignaciones hoy!
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
Here is the #DerbyFire briefing. We sincerely apologize for the delay, there were extreme technical difficulties we hope to have ironed out tomorrow.
Northern Rockies CIMT – Team 3 give an update on the current situation of the Derby Fire for August 21st, 2025.
Community meeting tonight
Please join us for a community meeting tonight at 6:30 pm at the Gypsum Town Hall, 50 Lundgren Blvd, Gypsum, CO. Spanish language translation will be available. We will try again with live streaming.
The Derby Incident Operations Section Chief and Incident Commander, as well as the Eagle County Sheriff, will provide an update on the current situation and operational strategies. Officials will be available for questions after the update.
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
Please join us for a community meeting Friday, August 22, 2025 at 6:30 pm at the Gypsum Town Hall, 50 Lundgren Blvd, Gypsum, CO. Spanish language translation will be available. We will try again with live streaming.
The Derby Incident Operations Section Chief and Incident Commander, as well as the Eagle County Sheriff, will provide an update on the current situation and operational strategies. Officials will be available for questions after the update.
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
Due to technology issues, we are unable to go Live with our briefing that was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. However, we are in the process of recording the full briefing from our fire experts and will have it posted to this channel as soon as possible.
If you have questions, you may type them in the comments once it’s posted, call our information line at 970-355-3283 or email us at 2025.derby@firenet.gov. We appreciate your patience and will continue working to get you up-to-date information.
Location: 13 miles north of Dotsero, CO Start Date: 8/16/2025; Cause: Lightning Size: Est. 2624 acres Completion/Containment: 0% 117 Total Personnel; 9 Engines; 1 Helicopter; 5 Hand Crews;
KEY MESSAGE:
Fire behavior has been wind driven. Growth was slowed yesterday due to slope and fuel type. Outflow winds associated with monsoonal moisture may increase fire activity today.
CURRENT STATUS:
The Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3 assumed command of the Derby Fire yesterday. Additional staff and resources are arriving to support them. Yesterday the Derby Fire expanded slowly, thanks to quiet winds. Fire managers worked to assess protection needs for over 100 structures along Sweetwater Rd. to Red Dirt Creek. They also laid firehose and scouted opportunities to build containment lines. Their goal is to determine the best strategy to engage the fire with the highest chance for success, while ensuring firefighter safety. The remote location is particularly challenging for firefighters to access.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR:
The trend of hot and dry weather continues to make subalpine fuels very receptive to fire spread. However, the weekend is likely to bring cooler temperatures and increased chances of monsoonal precipitation. Daytime smoke and nighttime glows from the fire may be visible.
CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES:
Eagle County has issued an evacuation notice for residents of Sweetwater Rd. and areas of the Colorado River Rd. from Sweetwater to Red Dirt Creek. Derby Mesa Loop remains in pre-evacuation status. More evacuation information is available at www.ecemergency.org, including where to shelter and resources for pets and livestock.
The Forest Service and BLM have both issued public closure orders in the vicinity of the fire to protect public and firefighter safety. The White River National Forest’s closure order and map are posted at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/whiteriver. The BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office’s closure order and map are posted at https://www.blm.gov/…/colorado-river-valley-field-office.
Ubicación: 13 millas al norte de Dotsero, CO Fecha de inicio: 16/8/2025; Causa: Rayo Tamaño: Est. 2624 acres Finalización/Contención: 0% 117 efectivos en total; 9 motores; 1 helicóptero; 5 tripulaciones manuales;
MENSAJE CLAVE:
El comportamiento del fuego ha sido impulsado por el viento. El crecimiento se ralentizó ayer debido a la pendiente y el tipo de combustible. Los vientos de salida asociados con la humedad monzónica podrÃan incrementar la actividad del fuego hoy.
La tendencia al clima cálido y seco continúa haciendo que los combustibles subalpinos sean muy susceptibles a la propagación del fuego. Sin embargo, es probable que el fin de semana traiga temperaturas más bajas y mayores probabilidades de precipitaciones monzónicas. Es posible que se observe humo diurno y resplandores nocturnos del incendio.
CIERRES Y MENSAJES ESPECIALES:
El Condado de Eagle ha emitido un aviso de evacuación para los residentes de Sweetwater Rd. y áreas de Colorado River Rd. desde Sweetwater hasta Red Dirt Creek. Derby Mesa Loop permanece en estado de preevacuación. Puede encontrar más información sobre la evacuación en www.ecemergency.org , incluyendo dónde refugiarse y recursos para mascotas y ganado.
El Servicio Forestal y la Oficina de Administración de Tierras (BLM) han emitido órdenes de cierre público en las inmediaciones del incendio para proteger la seguridad pública y de los bomberos. La orden de cierre y el mapa del Bosque Nacional del RÃo Blanco 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 RÃo Colorado de la BLM están publicados en https://www.blm.gov/…/colorado-river-valley-field-office .
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
Overnight, diurnal wind increased fire behavior. The fire was active through the night increasing along the southern edge. Today, fire behavior was reduced with the lack of wind. We expect to have accurate acreage tomorrow after the infrared flight tonight.
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
Here is this morning’s update from Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3
Derby Fire information Public phone line: (970) 355-3282 Office hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2025.derby@firenet.gov
August 20, 2025, 1:03 p.m. –
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3, Incident Commander Mike Behrens Location: 13 miles west of Dotsero, CO Start date: 8/16/2025; Cause: Lightning Size: Est. 839 acres Completion/containment: 0% 80 est. Total Personnel; 6 Engines; 1 Helicopter; 2 Hand Crews
KEY MESSAGE:
The Derby Fire was ignited by lightning on an extremely steep cliff face in a remote area near the Flat Tops Wilderness on Saturday evening. Initial attack efforts by smokejumpers on Sunday were hindered by rollout of burning material, repeatedly igniting the slope below the main fire.
Protection of life and property are key objectives for managing this fire.
CURRENT STATUS:
The Complex Incident Management Team managing the Turner Gulch Fire assumed command of the Derby Fire this morning. The Derby Fire saw significant growth overnight. Structure assessment and area reconnaissance will be the main tasks for fire managers today, determining the best strategy to engage the fire with the most likelihood for success, while ensuring for firefighter safety. The remote location makes access very difficult.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Several consecutive days of hot and dry weather with very low relative humidities has made fuels across Colorado very receptive. Late today, an incoming monsoonal front may produce erratic outflow winds, increasing rates of spread in the subalpine fir and lodgepole pine forest.
CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES
Eagle County has issued an evacuation notice that Residents of Sweetwater Rd and areas of the Colorado River Rd from Sweetwater to Red Dirt Creek must be out of their homes by 12pm noon Wed, 8/20. Derby Mesa Loop remains in pre-evacuation status. Pre-evacuation notice and other information on the Derby Fire is available at www.ecemergency.org. The White River National Forest has issued a public closure for firefighter and public safety in Eagle and Garfield Counties in the vicinity of the fire. The closure is within the Blanco and Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger Districts. The closure order and map are posted at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/whiteriver. Specific closure information and maps will also be posted on InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident…/cowrf-derby-fire as they are implemented.
MENSAJE CLAVE: El incendio Derby se originó el sábado por la noche a causa de un rayo en un acantilado extremadamente empinado en una zona remota cerca de Flat Tops Wilderness. Los esfuerzos iniciales de ataque de los paracaidistas el domingo se vieron obstaculizados por el despliegue de material incendiario, que incendió repetidamente la ladera bajo el incendio principal.
La protección de vidas y propiedades es fundamental para la gestión de este incendio.
CLIMA Y COMPORTAMIENTO DEL INCENDIO Varios dÃas consecutivos de clima cálido y seco con humedades relativas muy bajas han hecho que los combustibles en todo Colorado sean muy receptivos. Más tarde hoy, un frente monzónico entrante podrÃa producir vientos de salida erráticos, aumentando las tasas de propagación en los bosques de abetos subalpinos y pinos lodgepole.
