Decker Fire Update
September 19, 2019, 10:00 a.m.
Rio Grande National Forest
Pike-San Isabel National Forest
BLM - Front Range Fire and Aviation Management Unit
John Markalunas, Incident Commander

More Sun, Drier Temperatures Expected For Decker Fire on Thursday

Public Meeting:A public meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. today at the Poncha Springs Town Hall, located at 330 Burnett Ave. Firemanagers will be available to give an update on the fire and answer questions from the public.

Current Situation:Fire activity increased slightly on Wednesday resulting in a few additional acres in the fire size. The fire continues to burnout pockets of unburned fuel within the fire’s perimeter. The fire grew to 885 acres based on an overnight infrared flight.Today, crews will continue constructing contingency line along the western flank of the fire adjacent to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) boundary. Crews will also continue building contingency line along the Rainbow Trail on the eastern side of the fire. The section of trail for the Banana Belt Race on Saturday will not be affected. Trail users may experience brief delays on Thursday and Friday if fire operations are active. The San Juan Hotshots will be attending to a spot fire north of the fire’s perimeter.

The US Forest Service estimates that areas within the Wilderness have up to 80% tree mortality from beetle-kill and blow down. The Decker Fire is being managed to remove these high-risk fuels from the landscape for ecological benefit and to reduce the risk for catastrophic wildfire in the future.

The fire may be visible from both the US 50 and US 285 corridors. Motorists are asked to not stop in the roadway and be clear of the roadway before stopping to observe the fire. Please do not call 911 to report fire behavior on the Decker Fire or to request fire information. A fire information line is available for fire updates. Please call 911 for emergencies only.Weather & Fuel Conditions: Temperatures are forecasted to be up to 62 degrees with humidity dipping to 22 percent.Clear skies are expected this morning with wind out of the south at 18-22 mph. Isolated thunderstorms are expected to develop after 12:00. Gusty and erratic winds are expected to accompany the thunderstorms along with a likelihood of lightning in the fire area.

Evacuations and Closures: There are no evacuations or closures at this time. Smoke may settle into the US Highway 50 corridor in the late afternoons or evenings. Drivers are encouraged to reduce speed near the fire if smoke affects visibility.

Smoke: Real-time smoke information is available at bit.ly/deckerfiresmoke. Today’s smoke forecast for Decker Fire is available at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/CentralColorado.

Decker Fire Statistics:
Size: Approximately 885 acres
Total Personnel: 84
Cause: Lightning
Start Date: September 8, 2019
Location: 9 miles south of Salida, CO

Contact Information:
Fire Info Line: (719) 626-1095 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6592/
Facebook: facebook.com/DeckerFire2019
Email: 2019.Decker@firenet.gov

Veterans corps crew on Decker Fire 2019

18 September 2019

Just a few days after the Decker fire began with a lightning strike high in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness the Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) Veteran Fire Corps crew out of Salida, CO was called to assist. This is the first time in the 10 year history of the program that the crew of nine has been able to work on an active wildland fire.

The training the Crew receives is largely field based and is provided through a partnership with the U.S. Forest Service. Day to day project work typically includes fuels reduction and thinning projects, however it may also include other types of conservation service. The Type 3 Decker Fire Incident Commander, John Markalunas says, “It’s really nice to be able to provide folks that have served our country with training and experience opportunities. Their military background makes them a great fit for this kind of work.”

The crew of nine Co-lead by Army vet, Josh Davis says “The crew members feel a sense of purpose, community and camaraderie working on fires. They describe their experience as a positive atmosphere that helps vets transition into civilian life with support and development of useful skills". Co-lead Philip Jackson, a U.S. Marine vet, says that “Certifications such as wildland fire chainsaw experience and firefighting training can lead to future land management careers.”

Many vets describe the lonely feeling that can come with the change from active military duty to civilian life. Joseph Blevins, an Air Force vet, says, “Being on the crew offers a sense of purpose.” His fellow crew member and Marine vet, Chris Case states, “We all just want to be needed.”

Working long days and sleeping outside is very familiar to many of the guys. Among the Crew, four served in the US Army, four others in the US Marines, and one in the US Air Force. They noted that the “fire world” is similar in many ways to military service and being part of that world is something they enjoy. The crew also has a sense of pride in the work they are doing for the fire and for the community. The U.S. Forest Service has hired several past graduates of the SCC’s Vet Corps because of training and experience gained through the program.

Novedades de incendio Decker
Miércoles 18 de septiembre, 11:00am
Bosque nacional de Rio Grande
Bosque nacional de Pike-San Isabel
BLM- unidad de gestión de incendios y aviación de área metropolitana
John Markalunas, comandante del incidente

Tendencia de sequedad esperada para aumentar el compartimento del incendio en miércoles

Reunión público: Una reunión pública ocurría a 5:00 p.m. en jueves, 19 de septiembre en el ayuntamiento de Poncha Springs. Dirección: 330 Burnett Ave. Poncha Springs, CO 81242. Los líderes del equipo de bomberos será presente para novedades y contestar preguntas del público.

Situación actual: En martes, un avión multimisión voló a través del incendio y trazo 846 acres. Esto marca la segunda día sin crecimiento nueva. Los equipos de bomberos han aprovechado del comportamiento mínimo del incendio a vigilar por locaciones posibles a construir líneas de contingencia en el caso de un cambio del clima hoy.

Los equipos de bomberos están trabajando en el lado oeste del incendio a lo largo de la frontera de BLM. Equipos también comenzara construyendo líneas de contingencia a lo largo del Rainbow Trail en el lado este del incendio. La sección del Rainbow Trail por el “Banana Belt Race” en sábado no será afectado. Espera un aumento del comportamiento hoy debido a la disminución de la nubosidad y condiciones cálidas y secas. Residentes espera más humo en el aire.

El bosque nacional estima que las áreas dentro de la sierra de Sangre de Cristo tienen hasta un 80% de mortalidad de árboles de ataque de escarabajas y caídas de árboles. El incendio Decker está gestionando parar eliminar estos combustibles de alto riesgo del medioambiente para beneficio ecológico y para reducir el riesgo de incendios forestales catastróficos en el futuro. El incendio puede ser visible en la noche de los corredores de carreteras 50 y 285. Pide a motoristas que no paran en la calzada y que estar libre de la calzada antes de observar el incendio. Por favor no llaman 911 a reportar comportamiento del incendio o pedir información del incendio Decker. Hay una línea disponible para novedades del incendio. 911 es solo para emergencias.

Condiciones climáticas y de combustibles: Se espera una tendencia de sequedad en los próximos días. Condiciones será más cálido, seco y ventoso en miércoles. A 12,000 pies (la locación del incendio), espera temperaturas entre 53-61 fahrenheit con menos humedad. Se pronostica que los vientos están a 10-20 mph del suroeste, con vientos fuertes intermitentes de hasta 22 mph. Existe la posibilidad de tormentas aisladas con vientos fuertes y desiguales en la tarde. También hay un índice de Haines de 5 que significa el potencial moderado de crecimiento del incendio dominado por un penacho de humo grande.

Evacuaciones y cierres: No hay evacuaciones y cierres en este tiempo. Humo puede asentarse en el corredor de carretera 50 en la tarde o noche. Se alienta a los conductores a reducir la velocidad cerca de fuego si el humo afecta la visibilidad.

Humo: Novedades de humo son disponible en bit.ly/deckerfiresmoke. El pronóstico se puede encontrar a https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/CentralColorado.

Estadísticas del incendio Decker: Tamaño: approx. 846 acresTotal de personal: 72Causa: relámpagoFecha de inicio: 8 de septiembre 2019Locación: 9 millas de Salida, CO

Información de contacto:Línea de información del incendio: (719) 626-1095 (8am-8pm)InciWeb: inciweb.ncwg.gov/incident/6592Facebook: Facebook.com/DeckerFire2019Email: 2019.Decker@firenet.govTwitter: #DeckerFire2019

Decker Fire Update

September 18, 2019, 11:00 a.m.

Rio Grande National Forest

Pike-San Isabel National Forest

BLM - Front Range Fire and Aviation Management Unit

John Markalunas, Incident Commander

Drying Trend Expected to Increase Fire Behavior on Wednesday

Public Meeting:

A public meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 19 at the Poncha Springs Town Hall, located at 330 Burnett Ave. Fire managers will be available to give an update on the fire and answer questions from the public.

Current Situation:

On Tuesday, a multi mission aircraft (MMA) flew the fire and mapped it at 846 acres. This marked the second consecutive day of no new growth. Crews have been taking advantage of the minimum fire behavior to scout the fire to look for possible locations to construct contingency lines in anticipation of the change in weather expected today.

Crews will continue working the western flank of the fire along the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) boundary. Crews will also begin building contingency line along the Rainbow Trail on the eastern side of the fire. The section of trail for the Banana Belt Race on Saturday will not be affected. Increased fire behavior is expected today due to decreased cloud cover and warm and drier conditions. Residence can anticipate seeing more smoke in the air.

The US Forest Service estimates that areas within the Wilderness have up to 80% tree mortality from beetle-kill and blowdown. The Decker Fire is being managed to remove these high-risk fuels from the landscape for ecological benefit and to reduce the risk for catastrophic wildfire in the future.

The fire may be visible from both the US 50 and US 285 corridors. Motorists are asked to not stop in the roadway and be clear of the roadway before stopping to observe the fire. Please do not call 911 to report fire behavior on the Decker Fire or to request fire information. A fire information line is available for fire updates. Please call 911 for emergencies only.

Weather & Fuel Conditions: A drying trend is expected the over the next several days. Conditions will be warmer, drier and windy on Wednesday. At 12,000 feet (where the fire is located), temperatures are expected to be between 53-61 degrees with lower humidity, between 24 and 32 percent. Winds are forecast to be 10-20 mph out of the southwest, with intermittent gusts of up to 22 mph. Isolated thunderstorms may develop and bring gusty and erratic winds this afternoon. There is also a Haines Index of 5 which means there is a moderate potential for large plume dominated fire growth.

Evacuations and Closures: There are no evacuations or closures at this time. Smoke may settle into the US Highway 50 corridor in the late afternoons or evenings. Drivers are encouraged to reduce speed near the fire if smoke affects visibility.

Smoke: Real-time smoke information is available at bit.ly/deckerfiresmoke. Today’s smoke forecast for Salida and Arkansas River Valley is available at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/CentralColorado.

Decker Fire Statistics:

Contact Information:

Size: Approximately 846 acres

InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6592/

Containment: 0%

Facebook: facebook.com/DeckerFire2019

Total Personnel: 72

Twitter: #DeckerFire2019

Cause: Lightning

Fire Info Line: (719) 626-1095 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

Start Date: September 8, 2019

Email: 2019.Decker@firenet.gov

Location: 9 miles south of Salida, CO

Decker Fire Update
September 17, 2019, 10:00 a.m.

Rio Grande National Forest
Pike-San Isabel National Forest
BLM - Front Range Fire and Aviation Management Unit
John Markalunas, Incident Commander

Decker Fire Activity Remains Calm on Monday

Current Situation: The Decker Fire had no measurable growth on Monday. Increased cloud cover throughout the day and higher humidity kept fire activity at a minimum. The fire remains 846 acres.

On Monday, crews continued monitoring and scouting areas north and east of Methodist Mountain for potential containment actions in the coming days. Firefighters will be checking on the two small spot fires that established on Saturday north and west of the main body of the fire. These spots are high on the ridge within the wilderness and are expected to grow uphill towards the main body of the fire. The fire remains totally in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area east of the ridge. Crews will continue monitoring the east side of the fire and allowing fire to play its natural role in Wilderness to promote forest health and resiliency.

On the west side of the fire, the Platte Canyon Wildland Fire Module is monitoring the fire’s progress. The crew continues to monitor the fire’s slow progress towards the Wilderness boundary below Simmons Peak. This crew will be placing a hand line to ensure the fire remains within the wilderness area and off of adjacent BLM lands. The crew remains spike camped on the northwest side of the fire. A Type 3 helicopter from Helena, Montana remains assigned to the incident and remains available, should the need arise.

The fire is expected to remain calm as long as clouds remain in the area and humidity remains high. The fire may be visible from both the US 50 and US 285 corridors. Motorists are asked to not stop in the roadway and be clear of the roadway before stopping to observe the fire. Please do not call 911 to report fire behavior on the Decker Fire or to request fire information. A fire information line is available for fire updates. Please call 911 for emergencies only.

The US Forest Service estimates that areas within the Wilderness have up to 80% tree mortality from beetle-kill and blowdown. The Decker Fire is being managed to remove these high-risk fuels from the landscape for ecological benefit and to reduce the risk for catastrophic wildfire in the future.

Weather & Fuel Conditions: Temperatures are expected to reach the low 60s and minimum humidity will be from 29-34%. Winds are forecast to be 15-20 mph out of the southwest, with intermittent gusts of up to 30 mph. Isolated thunderstorms are possible across the fire from mid-morning until late afternoon, though chance of wetting rain will be low.

Evacuations and Closures: There are no evacuations or closures at this time. Smoke may settle into the US Highway 50 corridor in the late afternoons or evenings. Drivers are encouraged to reduce speed near the fire if smoke affects visibility.

Smoke: On Monday, the Air Resource Advisor completed repairs on the air sensor in the Bear Creek area and established the sensor in Salida. All three sensors are functioning and real-time smoke information is available at bit.ly/deckerfiresmoke. A smoke forecast for today has been issued for the Salida and Arkansas River Valley. That forecast can be found at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/CentralColorado.

Decker Fire Statistics:
Size: Approximately 846 acres
Total Personnel: 39
Cause: Lightning
Start Date: September 8, 2019
Location: 9 miles south of Salida, CO

Contact Information:
Fire Info Line: (719) 626-1095 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Facebook: facebook.com/DeckerFire2019
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6592/
Email: 2019.Decker@firenet.gov

Decker Fire Update
September 16, 2019, 10:00 a.m.

Rio Grande National Forest
Pike-San Isabel National Forest
BLM - Front Range Fire and Aviation Management Unit
John Markalunas, Incident Commander

Sunday Clouds Temper Decker Fire Activity

Current Situation: The Decker Fire was less active on Sunday. Increased cloud cover in the afternoon and calmer winds kept fire activity at a minimum. The fire continued to creep south between Merkt Creek and the Oxcart Fire scar. The Colorado DFPC Multi-Mission Aircraft mapped the fire at 846 acres, which accounts for Saturday’s growth. Most of Saturday’s growth occurred on the west side of the fire in the Rio Grande National Forest.

The east side of the fire was less active on Sunday. Two small spot fires close to the main body of the fire became established on Saturday. These spots are high on the ridge within the wilderness and are expected to grow uphill towards the main body of the fire. There was very little fire spread on the east side of the ridge on Sunday. The fire remains totally in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area east of the ridge. Crews will continue monitoring the east side of the fire and allowing fire to play its natural role in Wilderness to promote forest health and resiliency. A Type 3 helicopter from Helena, Montana remains assigned to the incident and remains available, should the need arise.
On the west side of the fire, the Platte Canyon Wildland Fire Module is monitoring the fire’s progress on the northwest corner of the fire. The crew continues to check the fire’s spread onto non-forest lands on the west side of the ridge and tie the fire into natural barriers within the Wilderness. That crew remains spike camped on the northwest side of the fire.

The fire is expected to remain calm as long as clouds remain in the area and humidity remains high. The fire may be visible at night and will be visible from both the US 50 and US 285 corridors. Motorists are asked to not stop in the roadway and be clear of the roadway before stopping to observe the fire. Please do not call 911 to report fire behavior on the Decker Fire or to request fire information. A fire information line is available for fire updates. Please call 911 for emergencies only.
The US Forest Service estimates that areas within the Wilderness have up to 80% tree mortality from beetle-kill and blowdown. The Decker Fire is being managed to remove these high-risk fuels from the landscape for ecological benefit and to reduce the risk for catastrophic wildfire in the future.

Weather & Fuel Conditions: Temperatures are expected to reach the low 60s and minimum humidity will be from 40-45%. Winds are forecast to be 12-16 mph out of the southwest, with intermittent gusts of up to 30 mph. Thunderstorms are expected throughout the day today and gusty outflow winds are possible near those thunderstorms. Evacuations and Closures: There are no evacuations or closures at this time. Smoke may settle into the US Highway 50 corridor in the late afternoons or evenings. Drivers are encouraged to reduce speed near the fire if smoke affects visibility.

Smoke: On Sunday, the Air Resource Advisor continued repairs on the air sensor in the Bear Creek area. Two additional sensors will arrive on Monday – one to replace the Bear Creek sensor and another for the town of Salida. Real-time smoke information is available at bit.ly/deckerfiresmoke. A smoke forecast has been issued for the Salida and Arkansas River Valley. That forecast can be found at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/CentralColorado.

Decker Fire Statistics:
Size: Approximately 846 acres as of 2 p.m. Sunday
Total Personnel: 37
Cause: Lightning
Start Date: September 8, 2019
Location: 9 miles south of Salida, CO

Contact Information:
Fire Info Line: (719) 626-1095 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Facebook: facebook.com/DeckerFire2019
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6592/
Facebook: facebook.com/DeckerFire2019
Email: 2019.Decker@firenet.gov

Decker Fire Update
September 15, 2019, 10:00 a.m.

Rio Grande National Forest
Pike-San Isabel National Forest
BLM - Front Range Fire and Aviation Management Unit
John Markalunas, Incident Commander

Decker Fire Active on Saturday

Current Situation: The Decker Fire was very active on Saturday, specifically on the southwestern flank as the fire moved south of Merkt Creek towards the Oxcart Fire burn scar. There was activity in the upper Bear Creek drainage along the top of the ridge as well. In both locations, the fire moved through heavy dead and down fuels and was spurred by low humidity, warmer temperatures, and consistent winds. The fire remains on national forest lands and primarily in the Wilderness.
On the west side of the fire, the Platte Canyon Wildland Fire Module continues to check the fire’s spread onto non-forest lands on the west side of the ridge and tied the fire into natural barriers within the Wilderness. They remain spike camped on the northwest side of the fire to monitor behavior.

The east side of the fire was also active yesterday afternoon, as the fire moved into heavy dead and down beetle-killed fuels. The fire did not make any significant runs towards the east and remains totally in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area. Crews will continue monitoring the east side of the fire and allowing fire to play its natural role in Wilderness to promote forest health and resiliency. A crew (MOD2) completed work to clear fuels from around the communications site on Methodist Mountain. Crews also placed repeaters and a remote weather station on Saturday. A Type 3 helicopter from Helena, Montana remains assigned to the incident and remains available, should the need arise.

The fire is expected to continue flanking south towards the Oxcart Fire scar today as well as slowly working north along the ridge towards the peak of Methodist Mountain.
The fire is visible at night and will be visible from both the US 50 and US 285 corridors. Motorists are asked to not stop in the roadway and to safely get off the roadway to observe the fire. Please do not call 911 to report fire behavior on the Decker Fire or to request fire information. A fire information line (number below) is available for fire updates. Please call 911 for emergencies only.

Weather & Fuel Conditions: Temperatures are expected to reach the upper 60s and minimum humidity will be from 17-22%. Winds are forecast to be 8 mph out of the southwest, with intermittent gusts of up to 20 mph. With low humidity, warmer temperatures, and consistent winds, it is possible that fire behavior and smoke production will be active today, similar to yesterday. A low pressure system will develop over southern Colorado this afternoon. The low pressure system will bring isolated thunderstorm chances over the Decker Fire Sunday afternoon.

Evacuations and Closures: There are no evacuations or closures at this time. Smoke may settle into the US Highway 50 corridor in the late afternoons or evenings. Drivers are encouraged to reduce speed near the fire if smoke affects visibility.

Smoke: On Saturday, the Air Resource Advisor moved the Salida smoke monitor to the Bear Creek area. The other sensor remains in Coaldale. Real-time smoke information for both sensors is available at bit.ly/deckerfiresmoke. A smoke forecast has been issued for the Salida and Arkansas River Valley. That forecast can be found at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/CentralColorado. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s smoke outlook can be found at https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colo_smoke.aspx.

Decker Fire Statistics:
Size: Approximately 355 acres as of 2 p.m. Saturday
Containment: 0%
Total Personnel: 47
Cause: Lightning
Start Date: September 8, 2019
Location: 9 miles south of Salida, CO

Contact Information:
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6592/
Facebook: facebook.com/DeckerFire2019
Fire Info Line: (719) 626-1095 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Email: 2019.Decker@firenet.gov
Twitter: #DeckerFire2019

Decker Fire Update
September 14, 2019, 10:00 a.m.

Rio Grande National Forest
Pike-San Isabel National Forest
BLM - Front Range Fire and Aviation Management Unit
John Markalunas, Incident Commander

Decker Fire Active on Friday, Expected to Be Active Saturday
Public Meeting: A public meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. today, Saturday, September 14 at the Poncha Springs Town Hall, located at 330 Burnett Ave. Fire managers will be available to give an update on the fire and answer questions from the public.

Current Situation: The Decker Fire was more active on Friday as heavy dead and down fuels in the Wilderness burned. The increased fire activity was attributed to lower humidity, higher temperatures, and consistent winds through the day. Firefighters will continue to monitor the fire and work to ensure that the fire remains on national forest lands.

The west side of the fire was active yesterday, specifically in burning off islands of unburned fuel in previously burned areas. The Platte Canyon Wildland Fire Module is camped between the fire and US Highway 285 to monitor and check the fire’s spread onto non-forest lands on the west side of the ridge. This crew scouted the northwest edge of the fire on Friday to find natural barriers that can be used to check the fire on natural barriers within the Wilderness.

The east side of the fire was active yesterday afternoon, as the fire moved into heavy dead and down beetle-killed fuels. The fire did not make any significant runs and remains totally in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area. Crews will continue monitoring the east side of the fire and allowing fire to play its natural role in Wilderness to promote forest health and resiliency. A crew (MOD2) worked to clear fuels from around the communications site on Methodist Mountain. Crews will also be placing repeaters to bolster the current communications system and will be placing a remote weather station on Saturday. A Type 3 helicopter from Helena, Montana remains assigned to the incident and remains available, should the need arise.

Fire will be visible on the ridge from the US 285 corridor and the Arkansas River Valley in the evenings and at night. Please do not call 911 to report fire behavior on the Decker Fire or to request fire information. A fire information line (number below) is available for fire updates. Please call 911 for emergencies only.

Weather & Fuel Conditions: Temperatures are expected to reach the upper 60s and minimum humidity will be from 8-13%. Winds are forecast to be 11-15 mph out of the west, with intermittent gusts of up to 22 mph. With lower humidity and consistent winds, it is possible that fire behavior and smoke production will be active today, similar to yesterday.

Evacuations and Closures: There are no evacuations or closures at this time. Smoke may settle into the US Highway 50 corridor in the late afternoons or evenings. Drivers are encouraged to reduce speed near the fire if smoke affects visibility.

Smoke: On Friday, the Air Resource Advisor began collecting data from their two air quality monitors - one east of Salida and another in Coaldale. A smoke forecast has been issued for the Salida and Arkansas River Valley. That forecast can be found at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/CentralColorado. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s smoke outlook can be found at https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colo_smoke.aspx.

Decker Fire Statistics:
Size: Approximately 276 acres
Containment: 0%
Total Personnel: 30
Cause: Lightning
Start Date: September 8, 2019
Location: 9 miles south of Salida, CO

Contact Information:
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6592/
Facebook: facebook.com/DeckerFire2019
Twitter: #DeckerFire2019
Fire Info Line: (719) 626-1095 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Email: 2019.Decker@firenet.gov

Decker Fire Update
September 13, 2019, 11:00 a.m.

Rio Grande National Forest
Pike-San Isabel National Forest
BLM - Front Range Fire and Aviation Management Unit
John Markalunas, Incident Commander

Type 3 Organization Takes Command of Decker Fire
Public Meeting: A public meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 14 at the Poncha Springs Town Hall, located at 330 Burnett Ave. Fire managers will be available to give an update on the fire and answer questions from the public.

Current Situation: The Decker Fire had limited activity Thursday, amounting to approximately 18 acres of growth, despite lower than expected humidity through the day.
On Thursday, the Type 3 Incident Management Team, led by John Markalunas, took command of the fire. Fire managers gained intelligence on the fire from reconnaissance flights through the day. A plan has been established to increase communications among responders by placing portable repeaters in the Methodist Mountain area. Firefighters continue to monitor and scout the fire area. The Platte Canyon Wildland Fire Module is camped between the fire and US Highway 285 to monitor and check the fire’s spread onto non-forest lands.

Additional resources continue to join the efforts on the fire. An Air Resource Advisor deployed two air quality monitors in the Arkansas Valley - one east of Salida and another in Coaldale. As they begin collecting data, a daily forecast for smoke will be made available to the public. A Type 3 helicopter from Helena, Montana is assigned to the incident. This aircraft is capable of bucket drops or can be used to extricate injured firefighters, if either of those functions are needed. Firefighters will continue to monitor the fire and work to ensure that the fire remains on national forest lands.

A fire information line is available to the public for fire updates. Please do not call 911 to report fire behavior on the Decker Fire or to request fire information. Please call 911 for emergencies only. Hours of operation for that line will be expanded to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. starting Friday.

Weather & Fuel Conditions: Seasonal temperatures are expected into Saturday. Temperatures will reach the mid-60s and humidity is expected to be lower today, between 10 and 15 percent. Winds are forecast to be 10-15 mph out of the southwest, with intermittent gusts of up to 22 mph. With lower humidity and consistent winds, it is possible that fire behavior and smoke production will be greater today versus what was seen on Wednesday and Thursday.

Evacuations and Closures: There are no evacuations or closures at this time. Smoke may settle into the US Highway 50 corridor in the late afternoons or evenings. Drivers are encouraged to reduce speed near the fire if smoke affects visibility.

Smoke: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued a smoke outlook for the Decker Fire. This could bring periods of light to moderate smoke to Salida, Cleora, Wellsville, and Howard. Friday night and Saturday morning, drainage winds will allow smoke to settle in locations below the fire, both to the south and southwest in northeastern Saguache County, and toward the east or northeast in western Fremont County. For more information on smoke from the Decker Fire, please visit https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colo_advisory.aspx.

Decker Fire Statistics:
Size: Approximately 263 acres
Containment: 0%
Total Personnel: 28
Cause: Lightning
Start Date: September 8, 2019
Location: 9 miles south of Salida, CO

Contact Information:
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6592/
Facebook: facebook.com/DeckerFire2019
Fire Info Line: (719) 626-1095 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Email: 2019.Decker@firenet.gov

Decker Fire Update
September 12, 2019, 11:00 a.m.

Rio Grande National Forest
Pike-San Isabel National Forest
BLM - Front Range Fire and Aviation Management Unit
John Markalunas, Incident Commander

Decker Fire Grows, Additional Resources Arriving
Current Situation: The Decker Fire activity was limited on Wednesday, limited by cloud cover, cooler temperatures, higher humidity, and less wind. The growth reflected in the current acreage is attributed to activity on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

The fire crossed the ridge between Simmons Peak and Methodist Mountain into upper Bear Creek drainage on Tuesday and continued to back down the drainage on Wednesday, amounting to approximately 50 acres on the San Isabel National Forest. Crews took action on Wednesday to secure the southwest corner of the fire on the Rio Grande National Forest to limit the spread of the fire in that direction.

Additional resources are arriving to manage the fire. An Air Resource Advisor is now assigned to the fire and will be monitoring smoke in and around local communities. Firefighters will continue to monitor the fire and work to ensure that the fire remains on national forest lands. Crews will prepare areas the Rainbow Trail and infrastructure near the fire to mitigate effects of the fire on these resources.

Today, a Type 3 organization led by Incident Commander John Markalunas took control of the fire at 7 a.m. The Type 3 organization is better equipped to manage the increased number of resources across jurisdictional boundaries. Additional resources will be ordered as needed to accomplish the objectives of the fire.

Public information resources are now established and providing updates about the fire. Among those resources is a fire information line that is available to the public for fire updates. Please do not call 911 to report fire behavior on the Decker Fire or to request fire information. Please call 911 for emergencies only.

Weather & Fuel Conditions: Seasonal temperatures are expected into Friday. Temperatures will reach the mid-60s and humidity is expected to remain between 24 and 29 percent. Winds are forecast to be 15-20 mph out of the southwest, and then gradually shift to the west tonight and early Thursday. Wind speeds are anticipated to slowly decrease Thursday afternoon.

Evacuations and Closures: There are no evacuations or closures at this time. Motorists are encouraged to be aware of fire traffic and possible heavy roadside activity along US 285 in the vicinity of Alder. Smoke may settle into the US Highway 50 corridor in the late afternoons or evenings. Drivers are encouraged to reduce speed near the fire if smoke affects visibility.

Smoke: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued a smoke outlook for the Decker Fire. Winds near the fire on Thursday will primarily be out of the west, transporting smoke east of the fire towards the Chaffee/Fremont County line, and could bring periods of smoke to Salida, Cleora, Wellsville, and Howard. The fire’s movement towards the east side of the ridge increases the possibility of smoke impacts in areas on the east face of this ridge. For more information on smoke from the Decker Fire, please visit https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colo_advisory.aspx.

Decker Fire Statistics:
Size: Approximately 245 acres
Containment: 0%
Total Personnel: 25
Cause: Lightning
Start Date: September 8, 2019
Location: 9 miles south of Salida, CO

Contact Information:
Fire Info Line: (719) 626-1095 (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6592/
Facebook: facebook.com/DeckerFire2019
Email: 2019.Decker@firenet.gov
Twitter: #DeckerFire2019