Firefighters remain relentless in their battle against the West Fork Complex Fire in southwest Colorado, which has been burning for 22 days straight. No progress has yet been reported in terms of containing the fire and officials say they anticipate firefighting efforts will continue for several months. It's unlikely that the fire will be completely extinguished before the end of the summer, according to reports.
As of Thursday, the fire is estimated to have burned through 83,004 acres of land and the blaze is still 0 percent contained. The West Fork Complex Fire is comprised of three separate fires that include the Windy Pass Fire, the Papoose Fire and the West Fork Fire. The Windy Pass Fire has spread over 1,403 acres; the Papoose Fire covers 26,483 acres; and the West Fork Fire has blazed through 55,118 acres.
In terms of fire personnel involved in fighting the fire, the head count is currently at 1,406. Resources being used to fight the fire include 9 Type 1 hand crews, 18 Type 2 hand crews, 82 fire engines, 1 dozer, 7 water tenders, 5 Type 1 helicopters, 2 Type 2 helicopters, 5 Type 3 helicopters and 2 single engine air tankers.
According to a report from the Pagosa Sun, a Red Flag warning has been issued for Thursday June 27 in the areas affected by the fire. The warning, issued by the National Weather Service, runs from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. The forecast calls for "dry thunderstorms" that will develop in the afternoon with thunder and lightning, but little rain will occur. Lightning and gusty winds are the primary concern for today.
"Widely scattered dry thunderstorms will develop over the mountain ranges with very little precipitation," the weather service reports. The storms are expected to pack "frequent cloud to ground lightning," with winds gusting up to 50 miles per hour. The Denver Post reports that firefighters are expecting that Thursday's weather may be problematic, due to concerns that additional fire can be sparked by lightning strikes.
Officials are getting a leg up in fighting this and future wildfires in the state. According to Eyewitness News 4 KOB, "the West Fork Complex fire fight is heading up to space." The United States Army Reserve Space Support Team is embedded in the complex and will now begin sending satellite imagery data to fire managers that can contribute to ultimately saving lives and minimizing wildfire damages.
In terms of additional support in fighting the fire, Colorado Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia signed an Executive Order on Wednesday to declare a disaster emergency related to the West Fork Complex Fire, which affects Hinsdale, Mineral and Rio Grande counties. The Executive Order authorizes the transfer of $3 million from the Disaster Emergency Fund to pay for the fire suppression, response and recovery efforts related to the fire since its inception, according to a press release posted on colorado.gov.
The Colorado fires are so intense that many have yet to be allowed back to their homes; the Denver Channel reports that the communities of South Fork and Wagon Wheel remain evacuated. The nearby town of Creede has not received mandatory evacuation orders yet, but officials are encouraging pre-evacuation preparations.
Near South Fork, U.S. Highway 160 remains closed between Wolf Creek Pass and Pagosa Springs for the seventh day straight. Businesses on both sides of the pass have reportedly been pushing for re-opening the road, which is a key link for commerce and tourism.
These requests seem to have been successful, as authorities have said they plan to re-open Highway 160 between Pagosa Springs and South Fork on Saturday. Traffic will be "piloted" through the fire area by Colorado National Guard or other official vehicles to prevent detours or stopping in the hazard area, according to the Pagosa Daily Post.
In the surrounding areas, approximately 50 miles of the Colorado Trail through the Rio Grande national forest, as well as approximately 150 miles of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail on both the Rio Grande and San Juan national forests are closed to public access as a result of the fires.
Fire information meetings will be held over the next several days. In Del Norte, daily briefings are scheduled to be held at 9:00 a.m. at the Red Cross shelter. In Pagosa Springs, a meeting is scheduled for Saturday June 29 at 1:00 p.m. at the Community Center.