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  • wildfire Wildfire
  • prescribed fire Prescribed Fire
  • burned area emergency response Burned Area Response
  • other type Other

Plumtaw Fire

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Unit Information

San Juan National Forest 
15 Burnett Court 
Durango, 
Colorado 
81301 
San Juan National Forest 
15 Burnett Court 
Durango, 
Colorado 
81301 

Incident Contacts

Photographs Gallery

UAS on Plumtaw
UAS on the Plumtaw Fire looking for hot spots
UAS on the Plumtaw Fire looking for hot spots
UAS on Plumtaw

Firefighter preparing to launch UAS

Spinning Weather
Firefighter, Kyle (Ricky) Blair spinning weather
Firefighter, Kyle (Ricky) Blair spinning weather
Spinning Weather

firefighter spinning weather

Smoke detected near the fire edge during patrols
Smoke detected during routine patrols on the southeast edge
Smoke detected during routine patrols on the southeast edge
Smoke detected near the fire edge during patrols

Smoke on southeast corner

Smoke detected near the fire edge during patrols
Smoke detected during routine patrols on the southeast edge
Smoke detected during routine patrols on the southeast edge
Smoke detected near the fire edge during patrols

Smoke on southeast corner

Spot Fire mopup
White and grey ash lay on the ground where a spot fire has burned. A cut-up log lays on the ground with unburned grass and trees around a spot fire.
White and grey ash lay on the ground where a spot fire has burned. A cut-up log lays on the ground with unburned grass and trees around a spot fire.
Spot Fire mopup

The burn is spotty in this section of Division X.

Mopping up
A firefighter uses a Pulaski to find pockets of heat, expose them and sprays water to cool the heat.
A firefighter uses a Pulaski to find pockets of heat, expose them and sprays water to cool the heat.
Mopping up

Mop up is a slow, methodical task of finding and extinguishing sources of heat that could threaten containment lines.

Hoselay
A line of hose lays on the ground on hand-constructed containment line. Coiled hoses intersect at a T-junction, waiting to be put to work.
A line of hose lays on the ground on hand-constructed containment line. Coiled hoses intersect at a T-junction, waiting to be put to work.
Hoselay

More than one mile of hose has been laid around the fire perimeter to assist with suppression when they are needed.

Burning Stump
A cut-off stump burns inside the Plumtaw Fire. In the background, unburned trees line the fire perimeter.
A cut-off stump burns inside the Plumtaw Fire. In the background, unburned trees line the fire perimeter.
Burning Stump

Moderate fire behavior - creeping and smoldering.

Operations Planning
Members of the team lean over maps on a table at a base of operations.
Members of the team lean over maps on a table at a base of operations.
Operations Planning

Members of the incident management team provide input to develop a complete operating picture and develop a plan of attack.

Looking out from inside the burn
In the foreground, tree stems and the ground are bare of needles or other vegetation, appearing ashy and grey. In the background, past the edge of the fire scar, some trees are scorched by the heat of the fire, and other trees remain green.
In the foreground, tree stems and the ground are bare of needles or other vegetation, appearing ashy and grey. In the background, past the edge of the fire scar, some trees are scorched by the heat of the fire, and other trees remain green.
Looking out from inside the burn

Green and heat-scorched trees line the edge of the fire perimeter.

Operations Planning over the hood
Members of the incident management team talk about fire progress while looking at a map on the hood of a pickup truck.
Members of the incident management team talk about fire progress while looking at a map on the hood of a pickup truck.
Operations Planning over the hood

The team communicates about progress and conditions to develop a plan for the next operational period.

Spike camp
A green meadow is in the foreground with two aged wooden barns, with a few dome tents set up near the barns. Left of the barns is a line of colorful outhouses. In the background, the burn scar is visible among the trees near the top of the mountain.
A green meadow is in the foreground with two aged wooden barns, with a few dome tents set up near the barns. Left of the barns is a line of colorful outhouses. In the background, the burn scar is visible among the trees near the top of the mountain.
Spike camp

Crews sleep near the work.

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