Wildfire South of Shawnee Peak

Shawnee Peak Fire Update 8:00am 08/31/19
Size: 55 acres
Containment: 50%
Cause: Lightning

Closures: The Pike and San Isabel National Forests issued a formal Forest fire closure order for the area around, the Ben Tyler North trailhead and trails within the Shawnee Peak Fire. The closure does not include the Colorado Trail. All closed trails and trailheads are depicted on the closure map. A copy of the order and closure map are posted at www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/psicc/alerts-notices (scroll down to Closures).

Resources: 3-Interagency Hotshot Crews; 1-Type 2 Initial Attack Crews; 4-Helicopters; and 1-Wildfire Module. Total personnel are 167.

Update 8:00 a.m., 8/31/19 Firefighters were transported yesterday from spike camps to the incident command post in Shawnee for showers, a hot meal and rest. The fire was monitored by air and noted minimal fire activity as the fire crept along and smoldered throughout the day. Investigators determined that the fire was the result of lightning strike.

Firefighters will return to the fireline this morning to patrol the fire perimeter and dry mop – stir up hot spots without using water to disperse the heat and allow the ground to cool – along the east and southeastern perimeter to increase containment of the fire.

The Type 3 Incident Management Team will turn over management of the fire back to the Forest and a Type 4 incident management team at 6:00 p.m. today.
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Shawnee Peak Fire 9/1/19 Update from PSICC
Size: 70 acres
Containment: 60%

Resources: 1-Interagency Hotshot Crews; 4-Helicopters; and 1-Wildland Fire Module. Total personnel are 100.

Update 8:00 a.m., 9/1/19: Fire activity yesterday remained light with creeping, smoldering, and single tree torching within the fire perimeter. Firefighters were flown back to resume patrol, monitor, and dry mop operations along the western, southern, and eastern fire perimeter. A spot fire was detected a half-mile east of the fire perimeter, which was fully contained with a helicopter dropping water over the spot and lined by firefighters. Firefighters remained on the hill overnight in spike camps.

Firefighters will continue to patrol, monitor, and dry mop around the fire perimeter today, with a focus on the remaining uncontained fireline on the east and southeastern perimeter. Air operations will continue to monitor for spot fires outside the fire perimeter. The increase in acreage is attributed to the consumption of fuels as the fire continues to burn through unburned fuels between the fire perimeter and constructed firelines.

The weather will be mostly sunny until 2:00 p.m. then become partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms that can produce gusty and erratic winds. Temperatures should reach around 70 degrees and the minimum relative humidity at 16 percent. Northwest winds will be 6-12 mph, changing to northeast at 5-10 mph after 3:00 p.m.
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NEWS ALERT - Saturday, August 31, 2019

An intrusion occurred earlier today inside the Shawnee Peak Fire Temporary Flight Restriction area. An incident did not happen but the intrusion made it necessary for all air operations to stop and return to the home base. This is the standard procedure to ensure the safety of our firefighters in the air and on the ground.
A copy of the current TFR and a map of the restricted airspace can be found at tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_9_8433.html#restrictions .

--> Whether you fly a fixed wing, helicopter, glider, hang glide, or are a drone operator, ­PLEASE, remember if you fly, we cannot.

Shawnee Peak Fire Update 8:00 a.m., 9/2/19:
Size: 70 acres
Containment: 60%
Resources: 1-Interagency Hotshot Crews; 2-Helicopters; and 1-Wildland Fire Module. Total personnel are 59.

Moderate fire activity provided an opportunity for firefighters to conduct some burning along the southwest fire perimeter. This reduced available fuels and the potential for fire to spread outside the containment line. Firefighters started rehabilitation of fireline on the eastern perimeter by installing water bars to prevent potential erosion on downslope areas.

An infrared flight showed a lot of heat within the interior of the fire perimeter with the exception of the northwestern area where there are isolated hot spots. The spot fires detected and lined outside of the eastern perimeter showed no heat. No new spot fires were detected.

Firefighters will continue patrolling and dry mop operations. They will also work on rehabilitation of firelines where necessary to minimize potential erosion. Fire activity is anticipated to remain moderate, burning at low intensities as it moves through unburned vegetation and other fuels within the fire perimeter. As the fire continues to move along the forest floor, it is reducing the likelihood of future re-ignition. Burning out old and dense vegetation returns nutrients back into the soil and enhances regeneration of new growth, which provides nutritious vegetation for wildlife in the area.

Hot, dry weather conditions are expected for the burn area with temperatures around 71 degrees and the minimum humidity at 13 percent. West winds will be 6-7 mph.

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#ShawneePeakFire Update 9:30 a.m., 9/3/19:
Size: 70 acres
Containment: 60%
Resources: 1-Interagency Hotshot Crew; 2-Helicopters; 1-engine, and 1-Wildland Fire Module. Total personnel are 67.

Firefighters continued patrolling and dry mopping along firelines yesterday around the fire perimeter.

Firefighters will continue to patrol for and dry mop hot spots along the fire containment lines today as the fire continues to burn within the fire perimeter. Helicopters will be actively working on the fire, hauling cargo, shuttling firefighters and conducting reconnaissance over the fire area.

It will be slightly cooler today with temperatures around 65 degrees. The minimum relative humidity will increase at 26%. There is a slight chance of rain showers between 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., followed by a chance of thunderstorms. Winds will be from the north at 2-6 mph then easterly by noon at 5-10 mph. Gusty and erratic winds are expected near thunderstorms after 3:00 p.m.

Wildland fire areas typically consist of low, medium, and high intensity burn as well as unburned areas creating a mosaic pattern across the landscape. This is the case with the Shawnee Peak Fire. Many unburned areas remain within the fire perimeter, providing fuels to keep the fire active.
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The fire burned at a high intensity in some areas but also left many areas untouched.
(Photo taken Aug. 31, 2019)

Shawnee Peak Fire Update 8:00 a.m., 9/4/19 from PSICC:
Size: 70 acres
Containment: 60%
Resources: 1-Interagency Hotshot Crew; 2-Helicopters; 1-engine, and 1-Wildland Fire Module. Total personnel are 67.

Fire activity was minimal yesterday as the fire continued to smolder and creep along. Firefighters continued working on securing the uncontained fireline along the south and southeast fire perimeter, monitored for any additional hotspots, and patrol the contained fireline. Late afternoon thunderstorms produced about a tenth of an inch of rain over the fire.

The Shawnee North 1 Fire reported Monday afternoon, Sept. 3, was determined as human caused. The fire was located a quarter of a mile north of the Shawnee Peak Fire. Firefighters responded to the fire quickly and were able to contain it to less than one tenth of an acre with the assistance from helicopter water drops.

Firefighters will continue work on securing the uncontained fireline along the south and southeast fire perimeter, monitor for any additional hotspots, and patrol the contained fireline.

Today, it will be cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms around noon. Temperatures will reach around 61 degrees and the minimum relative humidity at 25 percent. Winds will be southwest at 6-12 mph. Gusty and erratic winds are expected near the thunderstorms after noon.

Update 6:00 p.m., 9/3/19: A small, single engine airplane entered the Shawnee Peak Fire restricted airspace earlier this week. This is the third violation of the project’s airspace, counting one that occurred during the initial stage of the fire. Unauthorized aircraft pose a high risk of a mid-air collision that would compromise the safety of firefighters in the air and on the ground, which is of grave concern.

When an illegal incursion of a TFR occurs, aircraft assigned to the fire must immediately return to their base or to the closest helispot until the airspace is clear.

Whether you fly a fixed wing, helicopter, glider, hang glider, or are a drone operator, please remember: IF YOU FLY, WE CANNOT.

psiccfireinfo.blogspot.com/

Shawnee Peak Fire Update 9:00 a.m., 9/5/19 from PSICC:

This will be the last daily fire update unless there is significant activity to report. The fire will continue to creep along and smolder with occasional single-tree torching within the fire perimeter until the area receives a season-ending weather event.
Size: 70 acres
Containment: 60%
Resources: 1-Interagency Hotshot Crew; 2-Helicopters; 1-engine, and 1-Wildland Fire Module. Total personnel are 65.

Cloudy, cooler temperatures and increased relative humidity kept the fire activity and smoke to a minimum. Storms passed over the general area but the fire received less than a tenth of an inch of rain. Firefighters patrolled containment lines, worked on uncontained firelines, and cleaned up flagging and other fire suppression debris.

The human-caused Shawnee North 1 Fire reported Monday afternoon, Sept. 3 has been declared completely out.

The ongoing weather forecast calls for wetting rain over the fire area over the next couple of days. Firefighters will transport from the spike camps back to the incident command post for showers and a well-deserved rest. Firefighters will return and resume patrolling the fire perimeter, complete fireline containment on the southern and southeastern fire perimeter as temperatures warm up and the fuels dry out.

A reconnaissance flight over the fire area is planned for Friday, weather permitting, to determine where and how much heat remains within the fire perimeter. Firefighters will focus on those areas when they resume suppression activities. Containment of the fire is likely to increase based on the findings from the flight.

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The Shawnee Peak Fire is now 100 percent contained.