Pine Gulch Fire

Pine Gulch Fire reaches 100 percent containment

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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — The Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire and Aviation Management Unit’s Type 3 Incident Management Team gained 100 percent containment today and have transitioned command to the local Type 4 Incident Management Team.  

Fire crews were able to contain the Pine Gulch Fire and complete majority of the suppression repair. The Type 4 team will continue to monitor the fire, mop up, and finalize any remaining needs for suppression repair.  

The BLM Grand Junction Field Office still has a closure order in place for the perimeter of the fire while post-fire efforts continue. Local BLM staff in coordination with the Burned Area Emergency Team will continue to develop plans for emergency stabilization and rehabilitation to the burned area.  

Pine Gulch Fire reaches 100 percent containment

National Interagency Team: Pine Gulch Fire Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER)

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BAER stands for Burned Area Emergency Response, a federal program that addresses post fire effects on public lands. Wildfires can cause complex ecological problems, from severe loss of vegetation and soil erosion, to a decrease in water quality, and flash flooding. The BAER program addresses post-fire emergency stabilization of these and other post wildfire problems, in order to protect public safety and prevent further degradation of the landscapes.

The BAER assessment team composition is determined both by the size of the fire and the nature of values potentially threatened by post-fire effects. Generally, specialists in soils, hydrology, geology, engineering, wildlife, botany, and archaeology assess the fire’s effects and predict the post-fire effects. Each resource specialist brings a unique perspective to the BAER process, to help the team rapidly determine whether the post-fire effects constitute urgent threats to human life, safety, property, or critical natural and cultural resources and to produce an integrated plan to respond to those threats.

The objective of the BAER program is to determine the need for and to prescribe and implement emergency treatments on federal lands to minimize threats to life and property resulting from the effects of a fire or to stabilize and prevent unacceptable degradation to natural and cultural resources. During the assessment stage, the BAER process may identify values at risk on private of other jurisdiction lands, those issues will be communicated to the cooperators. Severely burned areas, steep slopes, places where water runoff will be excessive, fragile slopes above homes, businesses, municipal water supplies, and other valuable facilities are focus areas.

The BAER Team for the Pine Gulch Fire is currently working with the Fire Management Team, local agencies, has began analyzing data, developing projection models, and will begin working with landowners and stakeholders on findings.

Find more information about BAER Teams.

National Interagency Team: Pine Gulch Fire Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER)

Pine Gulch Fire update

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Pine Gulch Fire statistics:
Size: 139,007 acres
Containment: 95%
Total personnel: 253
Location: Approximately 18 miles north of Grand Junction, CO
Reported: July 31, approximately 5:15 p.m.
Cause: Lightning

Special notes: The Bureau of Land Management has reduced its area closure, opening up access to areas outside the fire perimeter. Areas inside the fire perimeter are still closed. See closures, below.

Today the Southern Area Red team is being shadowed by personnel who will manage the incident as we return it back to local agencies tomorrow.

This is the last update on the Pine Gulch Fire as the Southern Area Red Team returns management of the incident back to local agencies Saturday morning. Please contact Eric Coulter, 970-628-5622, ecoulter@blm.gov for information after today. The Southern Area Red Team thanks local agencies, communities and landowners for their outstanding support and cooperation in managing the Pine Gulch Fire.

This morning, representatives from the Southern Area Red Team will join the Grand Junction Fire Department in their tradition of honoring first responders around the nation and the lives of firefighters who died responding to the Twin Towers in New York City on 9/11/2001. Fire service crews across Mesa County will hold a silent remembrance along major roadways, displaying the American flag from overpasses and saluting for three minutes and forty-three seconds to honor 343 firefighters who died on 9/11.

Current situation: Another 0.1- 0.2 in inches of rain fell on the Pine Gulch Fire yesterday, again hampering suppression repair efforts due to muddy roads. Continuing repair of areas damaged by firelines will resume when conditions allow. On the west side of the fire, priority areas for remaining suppression repair work are Douglas Pass, including Highway 139, Barrel Springs Road, County Road 256 and East Salt Creek. In the fire’s interior, priority areas are along Lonesome Ridge. Suppression repair is almost complete on the east side of the fire.

A Burned Area Emergency Response Team is using remote sensing and field observations to gather data to evaluate post-fire effects and recommend actions. The team is comprised of various experts in fields such as hydrology, biology, soil science, computer modeling, vegetation management, archaeology and recreation.

Weather forecast and fire behavior: Today will be mostly cloudy as a low pressure system moves out to the east. High temperatures at low elevations will be 62-69 degrees and at high elevations 45-55 degrees. Relative humidity will be 30-55 percent. Winds will be mostly terrain-driven, 4-11 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph. Drier air will spread across the area today and tomorrow as a ridge of high pressure builds over the Intermountain West. This pattern will promote warmer and drier conditions through the weekend.

Recent wetting rain & snow on the fire have significantly impacted the fire, there are no areas of concern for fire behavior, perimeter growth or fire spread.

Area closure: The Bureau of Land Management area closure has been reduced to lands managed by the agency in the fire perimeter only. Garvey Canyon Road, Coal Gulch Road and 21 Road are open only to the point at which they meet the fire’s edge. Areas beyond them in the fire perimeter are closed. There is no public road access to Barrel Springs Canyon.
For more information, see www.facebook.com/BLMColoradoFire

Open areas:
• County Road 256 east of Douglas Pass
• Coal Canyon
• Southshale Ridge and Corcoran Peak
• Public Lands North of Roan Creek (Garfield County 204)
• Mount Garfield hiking trail to foot travel
• North Fruita Desert (18 Road) campground and bike trails, including the Sarlaac Trail.
• Winter Flats Road, (Mesa County V 2/10 Road)
• Brush Creek and Carr Creek Roads (Garfield County 209 and 207)

The Edge Loop is open to the fire edge, but the Bureau of Land Management recommends users turn around at the mouth of Lippan Wash.

Emergency alerts: For Garfield County, please visit garco911.com. Mesa County alerts, please visit bit.ly/Emergency_Alerts.

Temporary flight restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Pine Gulch Fire. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

For more information:
Information office: (970) 628-0130, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Media inquiries: (970) 812-3706, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Email: 2020.PineGulch@firenet.gov
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6906/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/PineGulchFireCO
Interactive fire map: https://arcg.is/W0izr
Highway information: https://cotrip.org/home.htm

Equipment and personnel: 1 Type 2 hand crew, 3 engines, 1 bulldozer, 2 water tenders and overhead/support personnel.

Pine Gulch Fire update

Pine Gulch Fire update – focus on suppression repair

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Pine Gulch Fire statistics:
Size: 139,007 acres
Containment: 95%
Total personnel: 269
Location: Approximately 18 miles north of Grand Junction, CO
Reported: July 31, approximately 5:15 p.m.
Cause: Lightning

Today’s update: With no fire behavior, many of our firefighters and engines have left the Pine Gulch Fire to help with the too many fires burning out west. We thank them for their service and wish them safe travels! Now the focus here is on suppression repair and fire effects.

Current situation: Another 0.1 inches of rain fell on the Pine Gulch Fire yesterday, making total rainfall since Tuesday about one inch.

Wet weather has increased confidence in fire containment and management, so many firefighters and pieces of firefighting equipment have been released from the fire. The remaining focus of the incident is suppression repair, ensuing actions taken to fight the fire, such as building firelines, do not have long-lasting impacts to natural resources. This work will be managed by a smaller incident management team beginning Saturday.

On the west side of the fire, priority areas for remaining suppression repair work include Douglas Pass, including Highway 139, Barrel Springs Road, County Road 256 and East Salt Creek. In the fire’s interior, priority areas are along Lonesome Ridge. Suppression repair is almost complete on the east side of the fire.

A Burned Area Emergency Response Team arrived at the Pine Gulch Fire yesterday. This team, comprised of various experts in fields such as hydrology, biology, soil science, computer modeling, vegetation management, archaeology and recreation, will work with local specialists to evaluate post-fire effects. They will use remote sensing and field observations to gather data and recommend actions.

Weather forecast and fire behavior: Today will be mostly cloudy as a low pressure system slowly moves out of the area. Chance of rain is 50 percent with isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon possible. High temperatures at low elevations will be in the upper 50s and at high elevations in the upper 40s, continuing to melt snow on ridges. Relative humidity will be 35-60 percent. Winds will be mostly terrain-driven, 4-11 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph. A warming and drying trend will continue through the weekend.

With predicted weather and recent wetting rain and snow on the Pine Gulch Fire, fire behavior is not a concern.

Area closure: A Bureau of Land Management area closure is in effect for lands managed by the agency in the fire area. Areas are closed beyond the following road junctions:

• 266 Road at Highway 139
• County Road 200 at County Line
• 21 Road at entrance to Hunter Canyon
• 16 Road at V8/10 Road
• County (Roan Creek) Road 204 at 209 intersection
• End of V2/10 Road at BLM closure
• Q 5/10 Road at 18 Road
• Garvey Canyon Road

For more information, see BLM Colorado Fire

Open areas:
• County Road 256 east of Douglas Pass
• Base of Bookcliffs
• Coal Canyon
• North Fruita Desert, 18 Road, campground and bike trails
• V 2/10 Road north of the Wild Horse Management Area
• Mount Garfield hiking trail to foot travel

Emergency alerts: For Garfield County, please visit garco911.com. Mesa County alerts, please visit bit.ly/Emergency_Alerts.

Temporary flight restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Pine Gulch Fire. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

For more information:
Information office: (970) 628-0130, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Media inquiries: (970) 812-3706, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Email: 2020.PineGulch@firenet.gov
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6906/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/PineGulchFireCO
Interactive fire map: https://arcg.is/W0izr
Highway information: https://cotrip.org/home.htm

Equipment and personnel: 1 Type 2 hand crew, 2 helicopters, 3 engines, 2 bulldozers, 3 water tenders and overhead/support personnel.

Pine Gulch Fire update – focus on suppression repair

Pine Gulch Fire at 95 percent containment

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Pine Gulch Fire statistics:
Size: 139,007 acres
Containment: 95%
Total personnel: 323
Location: Approximately 18 miles north of Grand Junction, CO
Reported: July 31, approximately 5:15 p.m.
Cause: Lightning

Current situation: Passage of a cold front yesterday sent temperatures plummeting 40 degrees lower than the day before. Many areas of the fire were at or below freezing. The cold, combined with rain and snow throughout the day, caused firefighters and heavy equipment to stand down after moving equipment to areas with good footing. Approximately 0.5 to 0.75 inches of rain fell, with 1-4 inches of snow above 6,500 feet. Today, firefighters will continue to monitor and patrol the Pine Gulch Fire from good roads and backhaul unneeded equipment. With cool and wet weather and containment approaching 100 percent, firefighters and firefighting equipment continue to demobilize from the fire and the incident management team continues preparation to return management of the fire to local agencies.

Assessing and repairing damage from fire suppression will continue throughout the fire perimeter and interior as conditions allow to ensure that actions taken to fight the fire, such as building firelines, do not have long-lasting impacts to natural resources. Priority areas for remaining work include the Douglas Pass area on the west side of the fire (Divisions D/E), including Highway 139, Barrel Springs Road and County Road 256. In the fire’s interior, priority areas are along Lonesome Ridge on the western side of the fire.

Weather forecast and fire behavior: Today will be mostly cloudy, becoming partly sunny in the afternoon. A low pressure system remains over the area with a 60 percent chance for precipitation. The best chance for rain and snow showers (as low as 6,000 feet) is early to mid-morning. More showers, including isolated thunderstorms, could develop during the afternoon and evening. Another 0.10 to 0.30 inches of rain could fall. High temperatures at low elevations will be in the upper 40s and at high elevations near 40 degrees. Relative humidity will be 35-60 percent. Winds will be from the northeast, 7-15 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph. A slow warming and drying trend will begin tomorrow.

No fire perimeter growth is expected today. Given the weather, there are no areas of concern in the Pine Gulch Fire for fire behavior. Light live and dead vegetation will be wet and unlikely to burn, heavy material will remain mostly shaded by cloud cover and will continue getting moister.

Area closures: A Bureau of Land Management area closure is in effect for lands managed by the agency in the fire area. Areas are closed beyond the following road junctions:

  • 266 Road at Highway 139
  • County Road 200 at County Line
  • 21 Road at entrance to Hunter Canyon
  • 16 Road at V8/10 Road
  • County (Roan Creek) Road 204 at 209 intersection
  • End of V2/10 Road at BLM closure
  • Q 5/10 Road at 18 Road
  • Garvey Canyon Road

For more information, see www.facebook.com/BLMColoradoFire

Open areas:

  • County Road 256 east of Douglas Pass
  • Base of Bookcliffs
  • Coal Canyon
  • North Fruita Desert, 18 Road, campground and bike trails
  • V 2/10 Road north of the Wild Horse Management Area
  • Mount Garfield hiking trail to foot travel

Emergency alerts: For Garfield County, please visit garco911.com. Mesa County alerts, please visit bit.ly/Emergency_Alerts.

Temporary flight restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Pine Gulch Fire. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Equipment and personnel: 2 Type 2 hand crews, 2 helicopters, 12 engines, 8 bulldozers, 6 water tenders, 1 skidgen and overhead/support personnel.

For more information:

Information office: (970) 628-0130, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Media inquiries: (970) 812-3706, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Email: 2020.PineGulch@firenet.gov
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6906/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/PineGulchFireCO
Interactive fire map: https://arcg.is/W0izr
Highway information: https://cotrip.org/home.htm

Pine Gulch Fire at 95 percent containment

Pine Gulch Fire update – containment 87 percent

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Pine Gulch Fire Statistics:
Size: 139,007 acres
Containment: 87%
Total personnel: 390
Location: Approximately 18 miles north of Grand Junction, CO
Reported: July 31, approximately 5:15 p.m.
Cause: Lightning

Special note: Today’s rain may cause areas of debris slides or gully washes. Please use caution when driving on dirt roads. Please note there is still an area closure in effect for the fire (see below).

Current situation: Firefighters continue to monitor and patrol the Pine Gulch Fire from good roads, especially in the northwest area of the fire along Highway 139 and County Road 266. With cooler and wetter weather and containment approaching 100 percent, firefighters and firefighting equipment are demobilizing from the fire and the incident management team is preparing to return management of the fire back to local agencies by the end of the week.

Assessing and repairing damage from fire suppression continues throughout the fire perimeter and interior to ensure that actions taken to fight the fire, such as building firelines, do not have long-lasting impacts to natural resources. Good progress is being made as hand crews work in tandem with heavy equipment. Yesterday grinding up brush along the X5/10 Road to County Road 200 (Division A) was completed and the masticator will be released from the incident today. Suppression repair work will continue today, including work along Roan Creek Road (204) in Division Z and on County Road 222 in Division A on the east side of the fire, and work in the Douglas Pass area on the west side of the fire (Divisions D/E), including Highway 139, Barrel Springs Road and County Road 256. In the fire’s interior, repair will continue in the Lonesome Ridge area on the western side of the fire. Today’s weather will help suppression repair work by dampening soil that was loose and dry so that graders and other equipment can repair roads without the use of water tenders.

Weather forecast and fire behavior: “It’s going to be pretty nippy out there,” said incident meteorologist Andrew Deemer, as on the heels of a Red Flag Warning Day, a strong cold front moves through. Today will be mostly to partly cloudy with 100 percent chance of wetting rain. Rainfall totals for the day are likely to be 0.25-.50 inches. Snow will likely remain above 8,000 feet where 2-4 inches is possible. High temperatures at low elevations will be near 50 degrees and at high elevations near 40 degrees. Relative humidity will be 30-45 percent. Winds will be from the north, 10-15 mph, with gusts at low elevations up to 25 mph and on ridges up to 45 mph. Strong gusts could persist for much of the day and subside after sunset. Wednesday morning temperatures will be cold, dropping into the low 40s/upper 30s in the lowest elevations. The freeze level could drop as low as 6,500 feet.

No fire perimeter growth is expected today. Given the weather, there are no areas of concern in the Pine Gulch Fire for fire behavior. Fine live and dead vegetation will be wet and unlikely to burn, but heavier materials are still extremely dry and may continue to smolder in sheltered locations. Potential for fire growth outside of current firelines is low.

Area closures: A Bureau of Land Management area closure is in effect for lands managed by the agency in the fire area. Areas are closed beyond the following road junctions:

  • 266 Road at Highway 139
  • County Road 200 at County Line
  • 21 Road at entrance to Hunter Canyon
  • 16 Road at V8/10 Road
  • County (Roan Creek) Road 204 at 209 intersection
  • End of V2/10 Road at BLM closure
  • Q 5/10 Road at 18 Road
  • Garvey Canyon Road

For more information, see www.facebook.com/BLMColoradoFire

Open areas:

  • County Road 256 east of Douglas Pass
  • Base of Bookcliffs
  • Coal Canyon
  • North Fruita Desert, 18 Road, campground and bike trails
  • V 2/10 Road north of the Wild Horse Management Area
  • Mount Garfield hiking trail to foot travel

Emergency alerts: For Garfield County, please visit garco911.com. Mesa County alerts, please visit bit.ly/Emergency_Alerts.

Temporary flight restrictions: A temporary flight restriction is in place over the Pine Gulch Fire. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Equipment and personnel: 3 Type 2 hand crews, 2 helicopters, 7 engines, 5 bulldozers, 5 water tenders, 1 masticator, 1 skidgen and overhead/support personnel.

For More Information:

Information office: (970) 628-0130, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Media inquiries: (970) 812-3706, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Email: 2020.PineGulch@firenet.gov
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6906/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/PineGulchFireCO
Interactive fire map: https://arcg.is/W0izr
Highway information: https://cotrip.org/home.htm

Pine Gulch Fire update – containment 87 percent

Pine Gulch Fire update

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September 6, 2020 – 9:00 a.m.
Southern Area Red Team – Mike Dueitt, Incident Commander
Information Center: (970) 628-0130, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. 
Media Inquiries: (970) 812-3706, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Pine Gulch Fire Statistics:
Size: 139,007 acres
Containment: 87%
Total personnel: 405
Location: Approximately 18 miles north of Grand Junction, CO
Reported: July 31, approximately 5:15 p.m.
Cause: Lightning

Equipment and Personnel: 3 Type 2 hand crews, 2 helicopters, 8 engines, 6 bulldozers, 5 water tenders, 1 masticator, 1 skidgen and overhead/support personnel

Special Notes: Drivers on Highway 139, especially in the Douglas Pass area, should use caution, as firefighting equipment and personnel will be in the area.

While celebrating Labor Day weekend, please check and follow current fire restrictions. Mesa County, Garfield County and the Bureau of Land Management are all under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. This means no campfires. And it means no open flame unless fueled by gas or other liquid fuel in appropriate containers. See bit.ly/Fire_Restrictions for what else is prohibited and what is allowed at this stage.

Current Situation: Firefighters continue to monitor, patrol and mop up the Pine Gulch Fire. A warming and drying trend has caused several areas of heat within containment lines to flare up. Yesterday one of these was visible from Highway 139 at the northwest corner of the fire (Division D). Firefighters are monitoring this fire and it poses no threat to containment lines, which are well fortified. Firefighters will also monitor an area on the east side of the fire near Pedigo Gulch, north of the Garfield/Mesa county line east of Horse Mountain in Division A. A helicopter dropped water on a flareup there on Friday. Hand crews continue to work with heavy equipment to mop up along the southern rim of the East Salt Creek main canyon at the northern edge of the fire in Division E. Firefighters took an infrared flight over the fire this morning to check hot spots.

Assessing and repairing damage from fire suppression continues throughout the fire perimeter and interior to ensure that actions taken to fight the fire, such as building firelines, do not have long-lasting impacts to natural resources. Good progress is being made, including repair along Roan Creek Road (204). Hand crews are working in tandem with heavy equipment in several sites.

Weather Forecast and Fire Behavior: Mostly sunny today, becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon with high temperatures at low elevations near 90 degrees and at high elevation in the mid 80’s. Relative humidity 5-10 percent. Winds will be mostly terrain-driven, 4-8 mph with gust near 25 mph and the air will be unstable. Afternoon winds on ridges will be from the west-northwest. Hot and dry conditions will persist with increasing gusts tomorrow, when a red flag warning has been issued from noon to 9:00 pm. A strong cold front will move through Monday night with much colder temperatures arriving Tuesday with afternoon highs only in the 50’s.

No fire perimeter growth is expected today as smoldering and creeping fire activity will continue within containment lines. Isolated pockets of burning live and dead vegetation may be visible in the fire’s interior. Surface fire and isolated single tree torching is possible. Firefighters are monitoring these pockets to ensure they pose no threat to containment lines. Unstable air, dry air and extremely dry live and dead vegetation indicate burning indices approaching red flag warning conditions. Any new starts could lead to rapid fire growth.

Area Closure: A Bureau of Land Management area closure is in effect for lands managed by the agency in the fire area. Areas are closed beyond the following road junctions:

• 266 Road at Highway 139
• County Road 200 at County Line
• 21 Road at entrance to Hunter Canyon
• 16 Road at V8/10 Road
• County (Roan Creek) Road 204 at 209 intersection
• End of V2/10 Road at BLM closure
• Q 5/10 Road at 18 Road
• Garvey Canyon Road

For more information, see www.facebook.com/BLMColoradoFire

Open Areas:
• County Road 256 east of Douglas Pass
• Base of Bookcliffs
• Coal Canyon
• North Fruita Desert, 18 Road, campground and bike trails
• V 2/10 Road north of the Wild Horse Management Area
• Mount Garfield hiking trail to foot travel

Emergency Alerts: For Garfield County, please visit garco911.com. Mesa County alerts, please visit bit.ly/Emergency_Alerts.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Pine Gulch Fire. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

For more information:
Information office: (970) 628-0130, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Media inquiries: (970) 812-3706, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Email: 2020.PineGulch@firenet.gov
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6906/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/PineGulchFireCO
Interactive fire map: https://arcg.is/W0izr
Highway information: https://cotrip.org/home.htm

Pine Gulch Fire update

Pine Gulch Fire update

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Southern Area Red Team – Mike Dueitt, Incident Commander
Information Center: (970) 628-0130, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Media Inquiries: (970) 812-3706, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Pine Gulch Fire Statistics:
Size: approximately 139,007 acres
Containment: 87%
Total Personnel: 600
Location: Approximately 18 miles north of Grand Junction, CO
Reported: July 31, approximately 5:15 p.m.
Cause: Lightning

Resources: 1 Type 1 hand crews, 2 Type 2 hand crews, 2 helicopters, 29 engines, 10 bulldozers, 14 water tenders, 5 masticators 6 skidgens and overhead/support personnel

Special Note: With the upcoming holiday weekend, please check and follow current fire restrictions while you are recreating. Mesa County, Garfield County and the Bureau of Land Management are all under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. See bit.ly/Fire_Restrictions to see what is prohibited and allowed at this stage.

Current Situation: Firefighters continue to monitor, patrol and mop up the Pine Gulch Fire as well as backhaul unneeded equipment. All but four of the 300 water pumps that were used to protect structures threatened by the fire have been removed. Small areas of heat still persist in the northwest side of the fire in Munger Creek and East Salt Creek (Division D/E). Less fire activity was seen in Munger Creek yesterday than on Wednesday. The area of focus for hand crews continues to be mopping up along the southern rim of the East Salt Creek main canyon. Firefighting personnel and equipment are being released as the fire approaches full containment.

Assessing and repairing damage from fire suppression continues throughout the fire perimeter and interior. Good progress is being made with work such as installing water bars on roads, spreading piled up soil/vegetation and mulching cut brush/limbs. Fence repair will continue today in Garby Canyon. Law enforcement officers will escort heavy equipment moving along Highway 139 near Douglas Pass, so motorists may experience delays today. Hand crews are working in tandem with heavy equipment in several sites to help stack brush.

Weather Forecast & Fire Behavior: Mostly clear with high temperatures around 90 at low elevations and in the 80’s at high elevations. Dry, with relative humidity 8 to 14 percent. Winds will mostly be terrain driven, 2-5 mph, with gusts near 20 mph. High Pressure will shift east across the Great Basin and over the Central Rockies this weekend. Expect very dry conditions with poor overnight humidity recoveries today through Sunday. Winds will increase, mainly during afternoon hours when gusts may exceed 25 mph. As a result, an increased potential for critical fire weather conditions exists.

No fire perimeter growth is expected today as smoldering and creeping fire activity will continue within containment lines. Heavy dead and down vegetation remains very dry and will burn despite recent precipitation. Isolated pockets of live and dead vegetation may be visible in the fire’s interior. Surface fire and isolated single tree torching is possible. Firefighters are monitoring these pockets to ensure they pose no threat to containment lines.

Area Closure: A Bureau of Land Management area closure is in effect for lands managed by the agency in the fire area. Areas are closed beyond the following road junctions:

266 Road at Highway 139County Road 200 at County Line21 Road at entrance to Hunter Canyon16 Road at V8/10 RoadCounty (Roan Creek) Road 204 at 209 intersectionEnd of V2/10 Road at BLM closureQ 5/10 Road at 18 Road Garvey Canyon Road

Note: Motorists may encounter delays in the Douglas Pass area of Highway 139 and County Road 256. For more information, please see www.facebook.com/BLMColoradoFire

Open Areas:

County Road 256 east of Douglas Pass Base of Bookcliffs Coal CanyonNorth Fruita Desert, 18 Road, campground and bike trails V 2/10 Road north of the Wild Horse Management Area Mount Garfield hiking trail to foot travel

Emergency Alerts: For Garfield County, please visit garco911.com. Mesa County alerts, please visit bit.ly/Emergency_Alerts.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Pine Gulch Fire. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Pine Gulch Fire update

Pine Gulch Fire update

webspec, , ,

Southern Area Red Team – Mike Dueitt, Incident Commander
Information Center: (970) 628-0130, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Media Inquiries: (970) 812-3706, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Pine Gulch Fire Statistics:
Size: approximately 139,007 acres
Containment: 83%
Total Personnel: 578
Location: Approximately 18 miles north of
Grand Junction, CO
Reported: July 31, approximately 5:15 p.m.
Cause: Lightning
Resources: 3 Type 1 hand crews, 5 Type 2 hand crews, 2 helicopters, 34 engines, 10 bulldozers, 19 water tenders, 5 masticators 3 skidgens and overhead/support personnel 

Current situation: Firefighters continue to monitor, patrol and mop up the Pine Gulch Fire and backhaul equipment. Yesterday was a quiet day for fire behavior due to some rain, cooler temperatures and higher humidity over the past few days, but small areas of heat still persist in the northwest side of the fire. Today, an area of focus for hand crews is mopping up along the southern rim of the East Salt Creek main canyon, (Division D/E). Firefighting personnel and equipment are being released from the fire as the fire approaches full containment. 

Assessing and repairing damage from fire suppression continues throughout the fire perimeter and interior. Good progress is being made with work such as restoring water bars on roads, spreading piled up dirt and vegetation and mulching cut brush and limbs. Fence repair will begin today in Garby Canyon. Law enforcement officers will escort heavy equipment moving along Highway 139 near Douglas Pass, so motorists may experience delays. Hand crews are working in tandem with heavy equipment in several sites to help stack brush. 

Weather Forecast & Fire Behavior: Sunny with high temperatures at low elevations in the mid 80’s and at high elevations near 80 degrees. Relative humidity will be around 15 percent. Winds will be from the west northwest with gusts up to 20 mph this afternoon. High pressure building across the Great Basin will bring temperatures 5-10 degrees above normal and relative humidity below 15 percent through the weekend, when winds will increase and blow from the southwest. 

No fire perimeter growth is expected today and smoldering and creeping fire activity will continue within containment lines. Isolated pockets of live and dead vegetation will continue to burn in the fire’s interior. With increasing winds and dry conditions, elevated fire weather conditions may once again develop. New ignitions outside current containment lines have potential for active fire spread, so with the upcoming holiday weekend, please check and follow current fire restrictions while you are recreating. 

Area Closure: A Bureau of Land Management area closure is in effect for lands managed by the agency in the fire area. Areas are closed beyond the following road junctions: 

266 Road at Highway 139 County Road 200 at County Line 21 Road at entrance to Hunter Canyon 16 Road at V8/10 Road County (Roan Creek) Road 204 at 209 intersection End of V2/10 Road at BLM closure Q 5/10 Road at 18 Road  Garvey Canyon Road 

Note: Motorists may encounter delays in the Douglas Pass area of Highway 139 and County Road 256. For more information, please see www.facebook.com/BLMColoradoFire 

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Open Areas:  

County Road 256 east of Douglas Pass  Base of Bookcliffs  Coal Canyon  North Fruita Desert, 18 Road, campground and bike trails  V 2/10 Road north of the Wild Horse Management Area  Mount Garfield hiking trail to foot travel 

Emergency Alerts: For Garfield County, please visit garco911.com. Mesa County alerts, please visit bit.ly/Emergency_Alerts.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Pine Gulch Fire. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Pine Gulch Fire update

Pine Gulch Fire Update

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Pine Gulch Fire Statistics: 
Size: approximately 139,007 acres 
Containment: 81%  Total personnel: 658 
Location: Approximately 18 miles north of  Grand Junction, CO 
Reported: July 31, approximately 5:15 p.m. 
Cause: Lightning   

Southern Area Red Team – Mike Dueitt, Incident Commander 
Information Center: (970) 628-0130, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. 
Media Inquiries: (970) 812-3706, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. 

Special Notes: Bureau of Land Management Closure Areas for the Pine Gulch Fire have decreased and there are no longer evacuation or pre-evacuation orders for the Pine Gulch Fire. Last night Garfield County Sheriff’s Office announced all evacuation and pre-evacuation orders for the Pine Gulch Fire have been lifted. Road closures are still in effect at this time. See Closures below for more information. 

Current Situation: Firefighters continue to monitor, patrol and mop up the Pine Gulch Fire. Yesterday they did a reconnaissance flight over the fire to check for hot spots and assess containment lines made by aircraft. They saw fire slowly backing down in interior isolated areas in drainages along the southern fire edge in the Munger Creek area (Division B). Creeping and smoldering fire was also seen along drainages along the southern rim of the East Salt Creek main canyon, (Division D/E), so hand crews and engines worked to cool that area. 

Repairing damage from fire suppression continues throughout the fire and perimeter. Good progress is being made with work such as restoring water bars on roads, spreading piled up dirt and vegetation and mulching cut brush and limbs. Suppression repair on the east and northwest sides of the fire (Divisions Z and D/E) continued. Work on County Road 256 helped open access to hunters as archery season begins today. Yesterday suppression repair work began in the East Salt Canyon area north of Highway 139. Specialized heavy equipment has been ordered to complete suppression repair work. 

Weather Forecast & Fire Behavior: Mostly sunny with high temperatures at low elevations near 80 degrees and at high elevations near 75 degrees. Relative humidity will be 15-20 percent. Winds will be from the northwest/west northwest with gusts up to 20 mph this afternoon. High pressure building across the Great Basin will bring temperatures 5-10 degrees above normal and relative humidity below 15 percent through the end of the week, when winds will increase and shift to the southwest.  

No fire perimeter growth is expected and smoldering and creeping fire activity will continue within containment lines. Isolated pockets of live and dead vegetation will continue to burn in the interior of the fire. With increasing winds and dry conditions, elevated fire weather conditions may once again develop. New ignitions outside current containment lines have potential for active fire spread, so the public is asked to observe fire restrictions and follow fire prevention measures,  

Major Closures: Roan Creek Road (204) at North Dry Fork (200). The 21 Road north of the BLM boundary, 16 Road at V 8/10 Road, and the Q 5/10 Road is closed at 18 Rd.  

Today the BLM reduced its closure area, opening up areas northwest, west and south of the fire. Garvey Canyon Road remains closed. County Road 256 east of Douglas Pass is now open, but motorists may encounter delays. North Fruita Desert 18 Road, campground and bike trails are now open as well as the base of Bookcliffs and Coal Canyon. V 2/10 Road north of the Wild Horse Management area and County Road 209 are also open. Mount Garfield hiking trail remains open to foot travel. Please see: www.facebook.com/BLMColoradoFire  

Emergency Alerts: For Garfield County, please visit garco911.com. Mesa County alerts, please visit bit.ly/Emergency_Alerts.  

Temporary Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Pine Gulch Fire. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org. 

For More Information:  Information office: (970) 628-0130, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Media inquiries: (970) 812-3706, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.  Email: 2020.PineGulch@firenet.gov  Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6906/  Facebook: https://facebook.com/PineGulchFireCO Interactive fire map: https://arcg.is/W0izr 
Highway information: https://cotrip.org/home.htm     

Equipment and Personnel Include: 3 Type 1 hand crews, 6 Type 2 hand crews, 3 helicopters, 33 engines, 10 bulldozers, 19 water tenders, 2 masticators 3 skidgens and overhead/support personnel 

Pine Gulch Fire Update