Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team Two

Jared Hohn, Incident Commander

Date Reported: June 24, 2023
Cause: Under Investigation
Size: 3,286 acres
Containment: 39%
Total Personnel: 531
Location: Southwest of Parachute, CO

Current Situation: Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team Two used helicopters and engines to augment the efforts of the firefighters as they worked to clean up the edge of the fire after the burnout. Substantial work was done on the holding line at the top of the ridge in Division M. The fire is still moving slowly through pockets of denser fuel. Clumps of trees within the fire perimeter may occasionally torch over the next few days, but there is little likelihood that the fire will travel outside of the holding lines.

A Red Flag Warning expired at 9 p.m. last evening; however, exceptionally dry air Tuesday to Thursday will bring the hottest days so far. That could be a factor driving fire activity since fire behavior specialists noted this fire consistently reacts to direct sunlight and the drying and preheating of fuel.

Yesterday, the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) was flown over portions of the fire using infrared sensors to check for heat. This versatile tool safely aids firefighters in determining areas that may need additional attention. Smoke will be intermittently present for some time both from the smoldering fire and from an exposed oil shale seam.

Firefighters will continue to focus on holding the perimeter today and gaining more containment. In the area where the containment line is secure, firefighters are starting to remove equipment no longer needed from the line. This backhaul process is a time-consuming effort. Items like hoses need to be cleaned and rerolled in preparation for the next fire.

Spring Creek Road and High Mesa Road are open to local traffic only. Please avoid these areas if possible and drive with caution because of increased fire traffic on the roadway.

Weather & Smoke Information: Clear skies, high temperatures, and extremely low humidity are predicted over the next several days. Winds will be close to 15 mph. A strong inversion will again develop overnight and burn off as the day warms. Near critical fire weather continues in the region. Please remain attentive to preventing any new fire starts.

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 (garco911.com). 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: 7 a.m.–7 p.m.

Media inquiries: (970) 414-1665 Time: 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
Facebook: Spring Creek Fire 2023 Email: 2023.springcreek@firenet.gov InciWeb: Spring Creek Fire Information

Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team Two

Date Reported: June 24, 2023
Cause: Under Investigation
Size: 2,932 acres
Containment: 37%
Total Personnel: 539
Location: Southwest of Parachute, CO

Current Situation: The Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2 will continue to prepare for critical fire weather conditions expected on Tuesday, July 4, including high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds. Firefighters’ efforts include patrolling and looking for hot spots inside the fire perimeter that could again become active with strong winds. Hand crews and heavy equipment will improve and expand hand and dozer lines already in place. One piece of equipment, a masticator, is similar to a wood chipper; it “chews up” heavy vegetation and trees, widening the fuel break.

The incident management team includes both its own incident meteorologist and a fire behavior analyst who work cooperatively to predict fire activity and growth based on weather, vegetation, topography, historical fire data, and other factors. Their contributions further assist the team with proactive and contingency planning.

Due to the weather forecast, the plan to ignite pockets of unburned dense vegetation in the NE corner of the fire (Division P on the map) was delayed yesterday. The intent of this action was to tie two spot fires into the main fire perimeter near the area where crews have been working with heavy equipment to build a substantial fire line.

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. Light NW winds on Monday are expected to noticably increase on Tuseday with possible gusts up to 40 mph. Tuesday will likely bring the most critical fire weather conditions this area has seen since Monday, June 26 when the fire grew rapidly. Residents are asked to help reduce any new fire starts during the holiday’s Fire Weather Watch that would pull resources away from the Spring Creek Fire during this weather event.

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.
Media inquiries: (970) 414-1665 Time: 8 a.m.–9 p.m.
Facebook: Spring Creek Fire 2023
Email: 2023.springcreek@firenet.gov InciWeb: Spring Creek Fire Information