Big Meadows Fire Update Morning Of June 13

Date: June 13, 2013
Contact: Kyle Patterson, [phone]

At 6:00 AM today the Rocky Mountain Area Incident Management Team A , Shane Del Grosso Incident Commander, accepted management of the Big Meadows Fire.  An Incident Command Post has been established at the Granby High School.

The Big Meadows Fire is located approximately five miles north of the community of Grand Lake, and three miles east of Trail Ridge Road (Highway 34). The fire was caused by lightning and is burning in mixed conifer forest types with a component of beetle-killed trees in lodgepole pine.

Based on a flight last night to map the perimeter of the fire using thermal imagery, the size of the fire has been more accurately estimated at 333 acres. Fire-fighting resources on the fire now include a National Park Service initial attack module of seven persons, two interagency 20-person hotshot crews, and ten fire engines. Available air resources include an 'air attack' small plane used for reconnaissance, three light helicopters, a medium helicopter, and one large heavy helicopter.

There has been little significant fire activity in the last 24 hours. Activity has been limited to hot-spots of downed fuels with isolated tree torching. Fire-fighters will concentrate efforts today within two divisions, one working primarily on the northwest flank of the fire and another working along the southern flank. Fire-fighters along the southern flank will be installing firehose lays to support efforts to strengthen containment along Tonahutu Creek. Afternoon winds are expected to be between 12-18 mph with gusts to 30 mph today with a chance of thunderstorms after 2:00 p.m.  The management objective is to hold the fire east of Trail Ridge Road (Highway 34), west of the Continental Divide, and north of Tonahutu Creek. 

There is no imminent threat to any communities or structures and Rocky Mountain National Park remains open. However, to ensure public and fire-fighter safety , there are currently seven trails that are temporarily closed in the area – the Onahu Trail, the Green Mountain Trail, the lower Tonahutu Trail, the Tonahutu Spur Trail, the Grand Lake Lodge Spur Trail, the Timber Lake Trail and the trail which branches toward Mount Ida from Milner Pass. All major roads and facilities in Rocky Mountain National Park are open as are our neighboring communities of Grand Lake and Estes Park.

The park has set up a recorded Fire Information Line at [phone] which will be updated when new information on the Big Meadows Fire is available. Additional information is available at www.inciweb.org.