Firefighters in southwestern Colorado are bracing for another day of “extreme fire behavior” in battling theWest Fork Complex fire.
The fire, a combination of three wildfires — West Fork, Windy Pass and Papoose — has burned about 75,150 acres about 14 miles northeast of Pagosa Springs.
Firefighters expect “very active fire behavior” Monday and the National Weather Service has issued a “red flag” fire danger warning for all of southwestern Colorado from noon until 9 p.m. Monday.
The fire warning is prompted by gusty winds, up to 55 mph in the fire area, low humidities and extremely dry fuels.
The massive fire, which is threatening the town of South Fork, is burning through steep terrain with heavy timber, including wide areas of dead, standing beetle-kill spruce trees.
“This is a significant fire, with significant problems,” said Pete Blume, West Fork Complex incident commander. “You will not see significant gains until we get some help from the weather.”
Winds are expected to die down a bit on Tuesday, but the temperature will go up, offsetting the gain.
The cost of fighting the fire is $2.2 million as of Monday.
On Sunday the fire had some growth to the north and the east, fueled by winds out of the southwest, and it also burned acreage within the perimeter.
Fire command has 895 people working on the fire Monday, with 50 engines, 10 water tenders and nine helicopters.
Command expects to use four or five heavy air tankers, along with three single-engine air tankers Monday.
There is no containment of the fire, but firefighters to establish a two-mile bulldozer line Sunday above South Fork.
“We are very encouraged with those efforts,” Blume said.
Blume described the dozer line as the “beginning” of a control
line, something firefighters hope to “anchor” on Monday.
“Everyday it doesn’t run at South Fork is a good thing,” Blume said. “I have to say, things are looking better, but by no means secure.”
There are no current plans to allow residents who are evacuated back into their homes.
Power had been disrupted in the area by the fire.
The San Luis Valley rural Electric Cooperative reminds residents to to thoroughly cook any refrigerated or frozen foods to the proper temperature to assure that any food-borne bacteria is destroyed.
For more information on food safety go to https://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/
consumers/ucm076881.htm.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822, knicholson@denverpost.com or twitter.com/kierannicholson
Read more:West Fork Complex fire at 76,000 acres; zero containment – The Denver Posthttps://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_23527264/west-fork-complex-fire-at-76-000-acres#ixzz2XAk3fQBM
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