News Release

Burned Area Emergency Response - East Troublesome Fire at Rocky Mountain National Park

Date: December 11, 2020
Contact: Kyle Patterson, Public Affairs Officer, 970-586-1363
Contact: Park Information, 970-586-1206

A National Park Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team was deployed in November to assess post fire impacts associated with the East Troublesome Fire within Rocky Mountain National Park. The team evaluated threats from flooding and debris flows as well as impacts to vegetation and wildlife, historic properties and recreation infrastructure.

The East Troublesome Fire was 100% contained at the end of November and burned 193,812 acres on US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and private land. 22,668 acres burned within Rocky Mountain National Park on both sides of the Continental Divide with the East Troublesome Fire.       

The BAER team focused on the potential for dangerous flood events, debris flows resulting from vegetation loss and fire altered soils.       
The BAER team is made up of specialists in hydrology, soil science, archeology, wildlife biology, botany, roads and trails and hydrologic modeling.     

The team collected data during their burned area surveys and presented their findings and recommended emergency stabilization treatments or actions in a BAER assessment report. When the BAER report is final, it will be shared with interagency cooperators who work to identify and prepare for potential post-fire flooding and debris flow impacts.  This is one step toward recovery.    

For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park, please visit www.nps.gov/romo or call the park’s Information Office at [phone].