| Contacts: | Fire Information (970) 456-3623 |
Pine Ridge Fire Update (06-30-12)
Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team- Bill Hahnenberg, Incident Commander
Fire Information (970) 456-3623
Hours of operation: 7:00 am – 8:30 pm
Date June 30, 2012
Time 9:00 am
Current Situation: The fire was less aggressive yesterday but remained active until 2:00 a.m. Crews will continue to reinforce the southwest corner while keeping it south of Horseshoe and Sulphur Canyons, west of the Colorado River and I-70, north of Main Canyon, and east of Mustang Ranch. The main priority remains protection of public and firefighters.
Crews on the northeast and northwest sections of the incident will construct fireline working off the roads and conducting burnout operations to remove unburned vegetation. On the west flank of the fire, crews will hold and improve line as they mop up and remove low branches from pinyon and juniper trees to keep fire on the ground and easier to control. Protection of Cottonwood galleries along the Colorado River is also a primary focus.
“The weather’s on our side today and we’re making good progress,” said Operation Section Chief Russ Long. Temperatures will be slightly cooler with low relative humidity and winds out of the west. This will increase the potential for fire activity on the north and south flanks to push east. With lighter winds, the potential for long range spotting will lessen.
As of 6:00 a.m. this morning, management of the Pine Ridge Fire transitioned from the local Upper Colorado River Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) to the Rocky Mountain Type 1 IMT. This will allow local fire management the opportunity to regroup and prepare for other initial attack and response needs. Several UCR Type 3 IMT members will continue working with the Rocky Mountain IMT.
Closures: Mesa County, Colorado— Tonight at 9:30 p.m., Sheriff Stan Hilkey in tangent with the Pine Ridge Fire Incident Commander and the DeBeque Fire Chief lifted the evacuation order for some of the residents displaced yesterday in the area south of the Town of DeBeque. The evacuation order remains in place, EXCEPT FOR:
• Areas along Interstate 70 and the Frontage Road from the DeBeque Interchange south to S 1/2 Road
• Between the Colorado River and 45.5 Road
• This include people with addresses on I-70 Frontage Road, S 1/2 Road, U Road, T Road and those address along 45.5 Road from I-70 to T Road
A fire warning is still in effect for this area and these residents, should they choose to return home, should remain on pre-evacuation alert. Mandatory evacuation orders are still in place for areas east of 45.5 Road from T Road south to Hwy 65. This includes those residents on or near Horse Canyon Road or "Turkey Tracks." The danger in these areas remains very high.
1-70 is currently open but travelers should be aware that road closures could be implemented if fire activity warrants.
Community Meeting: A community meeting is being held today at 5:30 pm at The Community Center, 397 Minter Ave, DeBeque.
Fire Statistics:
Location: 10 miles northeast of Grand Junction, CO Start Date: June 27, 2012
Size: 12,431 acres Percent Contained: 10
Cause: Lightning Total Personnel: Approximately 435
Resources Include: 15 hand crews, 21 engines, and overhead personnel.
Air Resources: 3 helicopters, 1 Skycrane arriving today, 4 heavy air tankers and fixed wing support
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
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