Mesa Verde National Park - Long Mesa Fire

Long Mesa Fire

On Monday, July 29th at 2:00 PM, a previous days' lightning strike ignited the dry pinyon/juniper forest of Mesa Verde, forcing the immediate evacuation of approximately 2,000 visitors and employees from the park.

Although Chapin Mesa's Headquarters area -a National Historic Landmark District- did not suffer damage, three historic structures (including two employee houses and a million-gallon water tank), a sewer treatment building, and phone and power lines were destroyed later that evening. The park remained closed for 10 days. Click here for Fire maps.

Extreme Drought Brings Extreme Threats
One hundred years of fire suppression in the southwest has increased fuel loading and density of vegetation in many areas. The likelihood of large destructive wildfires in Mesa Verde National Park increased in 2002 due to drought conditions and dry lightning storms. Low fuel moisture content posed threats to the park's infrastructure, cultural and natural resources, and human safety. Mesa Verde implemented several strategies prior to the Long Mesa Fire to protect the park's resources and human life. Although the threat of fire still exists, proactive thinking this summer saved most park structures.

The Fire Management Office had been preparing visitors, employees, and residents for the possibility of fire evacuation since spring. The Fire Management Evacuation Plan listed firefighting priorities for human safety. Hazardous fuel reduction, or thinning, around developed areas over the past nine years helped fire crews save structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Hot embers, upon contact with the newly replaced fire-resistant roofs, bounced off these eighty-year-old homes as designed.

In July, a 12-acre safety zone was constructed in case of an emergency deployment; this area was later used by firefighters the night of the fire. Water conservation efforts insured sufficient available water for ongoing firefighting. Hoses, as part of a sprinkler system, draped historic buildings; a sight common to Spruce Tree House visitors prior to the flare-up. Smoking restrictions and trail closures were enforced to prevent human-caused fire, a prevalent occurrence in the West this summer. In the aftermath of the tragic Missionary Ridge Fire in nearby Durango, partial park closures in July redistributed Mesa Verde visitors off of the densely forested and potentially dangerous Chapin Mesa to a safer Wetherill Mesa, burned by the 2000 Pony Fire. All of these efforts helped park staff prepare for the inevitable, which occurred on July 29, 2002.

The Burning Wall of Flame
A massive wall of flame threatened structures on Chapin Mesa. As winds changed, the fire's intensity decreased when flames ran into previously burned Bircher and Chapin 5 areas. The Fuel Break was constructed in 2001 to prevent fire crossing the park's southern boundary.

Lightning strikes in and around Mesa Verde National Park caused numerous single-tree fires this summer that were detected, reported, and suppressed. Sometimes these trees smolder and are not detected until after a few days, or the "holdover" period. This is how the Long Mesa '02 Fire was born.

On Monday afternoon, two hand crews along with engines, air tankers, and helicopters battled this blaze. The fire was wind-driven, consuming all vegetation in its path. Fire crews worked through the night bravely protecting structures from the 100+-foot wall of flame amidst the dark smoke and intense heat.

Throughout the week, air tankers and helicopters dropped over 170,000 gallons of retardant, helping to reduce flames and heat, which stained the gold sandstone a deep red. Erratic winds blew embers ahead of the main fire causing numerous spot fires. Hand crews on the ground kept busy all week building fire line to halt the southern fire spread into more of the old growth forest. Cooler temperatures and scattered rain showers over the weekend helped slow the fire's progress and full containment was reached on Sunday, August 4, 2002.

Chapin 5, Pony, Bircher and Long Mesa Fire perimeters. Click on image for larger view.

Recovery
A Burned Area Emergency Rehab-ilitation (BAER) Team will develop a plan to mitigate soil erosion, threats to rare species, invasion of non-native plants, repair and/or replace infrastructure damage, and asses and treat damage to archeological sites and historic features. A concern in this blaze was the partial loss of the 600-year-old pinyon/juniper forest; the oldest in the country.

Fire is one of nature's processes and efforts to suppress small fires may have resulted in an abnormal "fuel load" leading to recent, massive fires. Drought, another natural process, set the groundwork for fire's return at Mesa Verde.

We encourage you to revisit the park and watch the natural progression of healing that will continue for generations.