Colorado Wildfire Update for June 12

Black Forest Fire

  • Location/County: El Paso County
  • Cause: Unknown
  • Acres: 8,000 acres
  • Containment: 0 percent
  • Evacuations: Mandatory evacuations for 55 square miles; 2625 households; approximately 7,350 people
  • Fatalities/Injuries to Date: None reported
  • Structures Lost/Damaged: 2 confirmed and possible 40-60 other structures
  • Resources: Secured through Incident Command Post through Pueblo Interagency and El Paso County EOC): 16 Tenders, 36 Engines, 4 Type 1 Helicopters, 1 Type 2 Helicopter, 1 Type 3 Helicopter, 1 Heavy Airtanker, 150 firefighters, 130 law enforcement, 4 dozers, 25 overhead, Wyoming National Guard Support Team with Communications, Army Command and Control Element for air operations. Resources ordered for June 12 include: 4 dozers , Air Force MAFFS, Type III Finance Section Chief, 2 heavy air tankers, Type I IMT.
  • Fire is Emergency Fire Fund (EFF) and Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Program
  • Source(s): Twitter at @EPCsheriff

Royal Gorge Fire

  • Location/County: Fremont County
  • Cause: Under Investigation
  • Acres: 3800 acres
  • Containment: 0 percent contained
  • Evacuations: Mandatory evacuation in place. DOC Territorial Prison also evacuated.
  • Fatalities/Injuries to Date:  none reported
  • Structures Lost/Damaged to Date:  3 confirmed structures
  • Resources:  150 firefighters and law enforcement from both federal and local departments, 2 SEATs, 1 heavy air tanker, 1 Type 3 IMT, Type 2 IMT
  • This fire is Emergency Fire Fund (EFF) and Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Program approved.
  • Source(s): www.inciweb.org

Klikus Fire

  • Location/County: Huerfano County
  • Cause: Under Investigation 
  • Acres: 60 acres
  • Containment: 40 percent 
  • Evacuations: Two homes and 200 emergency notifications.
  • Injuries to Date: None reported
  • Structures Lost/Damaged: None reported
  • Resources: local fire departments and hand crew and overhead staff order for June 12
  • This fire has Emergency Fire Fund (EFF) and WERF
  • Source(s): @huerfano_911  
 

Big Meadows Fire   

  • Location/County: Grand County
  • Cause: Lightning
  • Acres: 300-400 acres
  • Containment: 0 percent 
  • Evacuations: None at this time
  • Closures: Rocky Mountain National Park trail heads closed
  • Injuries/Fatalities: None reported
  • Structures lost/damaged: None reported
  • Resources:  Type 2 IMT ordered, interagency crew from Rocky Mountain National Park and US Forest Service firefighters were flown to fire, Craig Hotshot Type 1 crew,  Boise Smokejumper Type 3 Team managing fire. Resources ordered: additional air and ground resources including 3 helicopters and 5 type 1 crews.

 Today’s Fire Outlook


The fire situation rating for the Rocky Mountain Area remains at Preparedness Level 3, the highest level possible is 5. This rating indicates highly complex large fire activity is occurring, with multiple large fires in the zone. Fire severity is extreme as reported in multiple areas, and fires are escaping initial attack, as evident by the number of large fires. Multiple regional dispatch centers are experiencing an incident requiring type-1 or type-2 teams, and a majority of zone resources are committed.

Monthly Seasonal Outlook from the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center:  http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/predictive/outlooks/monthly_seasonal_outlook.pdf 


Active watches, warnings or advisories for Colorado.  For more information go to http://www.weather.gov/alerts-beta/co.php?x=1. A map can be viewed at http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/firewx/main.php. 

 *This report is also available online at www.coemergency.com.