Yes, sir. I’ll post anything I learn.
SAS SAS #10 Official Page 8/03/26-8/07/26
- Thread starter POTATO LAUNCHER
- Start date
Solid Axle Summit
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Ditcherman
SILVER Star
Zero to 570 acres to 4300 acres per 24 hours - given the wind and humidity is this normal, less than expected, or exceptional?
Asking as a flatlander more concerned about flooding, what’s the upward potential acres-wise?
Asking as a flatlander more concerned about flooding, what’s the upward potential acres-wise?
This year, pretty normal fire growth. Unfortunately.
The Cottonwood fire (Beaver UT) is now a week old and nearing 100,000 acres. It started June 22, and was 750 acres at 6:14pm. 2000 acres at 8:37pm. 61,000 acres on June 24.
Winds across the region have been 20-40mph with higher gusts, primarily from the SW. Combined with record-low snowpack levels, the entire West is a tinderbox.
It is breezy again this morning in Ouray. We went to Governor's Basin yesterday afternoon and the winds actually made it difficult to stand without bracing yourself.
The blue dot is Ouray.
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Texted Jeff Smiddy a few minutes ago.
“Good right now thanks. We evacuated to Montrose. We may have missed big problems. I’ll know later when I go back down.”
1:04pm MDT - 7103 acres. The fire tried to crest the ridge above Ouray last night. We came back over Red Mountain Pass on 550 this aft and the smoke plume is unbelievable. KOA has moved to Set - Level 2 Evacuation Warning status. Ouray is VERY quiet. A few shops/restaurants are simply closed.
- Thread starter
- #1,410
Thanks for the boots on the ground report. Hoping things settle down soon.
- Thread starter
- #1,412
Week out forcast calls for regular afternoon showers. Hopeful that it happens.
From Jeff Smiddy, Ouray KOA’s General Manager:
We are all safe, guests are all gone and just a couple of employees keeping an eye on things. We started letting first responders use the campground since everything is sitting empty.
Right now from the campground.
He sent me a short video and all you hear are helicopters and planes… they are fighting hard.
I’m glad they are able to provide a comfortable safe base camp for the firefighters.
We are all safe, guests are all gone and just a couple of employees keeping an eye on things. We started letting first responders use the campground since everything is sitting empty.
Right now from the campground.
I’m glad they are able to provide a comfortable safe base camp for the firefighters.
Thanks for keeping us updated @woody
Ditcherman
SILVER Star
Do they always fight them as hard as they can, with the exception of being too windy to fly?
Or do they make evaluations about how much dry tinder is in an area vs assets to protect and let it burn sometimes?
What are the tactics?
Just trying to learn.
I know what it’s like to feel hopeless looking at a thunderstorm that supposedly has tornados in it coming at us, but I don’t think that even compares to how this would feel.
Or do they make evaluations about how much dry tinder is in an area vs assets to protect and let it burn sometimes?
What are the tactics?
Just trying to learn.
I know what it’s like to feel hopeless looking at a thunderstorm that supposedly has tornados in it coming at us, but I don’t think that even compares to how this would feel.
One source for this info:
Wildland Firefighting Tactics - Fire (U.S. National Park Service)
Tactics used by managers in response to wildfires include a range of activities, from assessing wildfires when they’re first reported, to cleaning up from response activities afterwards.
Watch Duty…that’s a really nice (and free) app. I’ve been looking for something like that. Thanks Woody (and Jim, although I didn’t pick up on it initially when you referenced)
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