As a result of the Horton Fire, The Gila County Sheriff's has issued a “SET” status on the Ready, Set, Go model for the following areas of the FS RD 289 Corridor.

Tonto Creek Estates, Tonto Rim Christian Camp, Tonto Fish Hatchery, and Zane Gray Cabins.

Although these communities are not immediately threatened, the SET notification is a preparatory measure.

SET – Be Alert

Know there is significant danger in your area.

• • Residents should consider voluntarily relocating with family/friends outside the affected area. Residents
• should avoid close contact with those who are sick and should practice public health recommendations
• when relocating.
• • Grab your emergency go kit.
• • Keep in mind unique needs for your family or special equipment for pets and livestock.
• • Stay aware of the latest news and information from public safety and public health officials.
• • This might be the only notice you receive. Emergency services cannot guarantee they will be able to notify
• everyone if conditions rapidly deteriorate. Be SET to GO.

For more information go to https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go

To receive emergency notifications from Gila County go to: Readygila.com/alertswarnings

In the event of an emergency, please call 911.

Grand County, Sulphur Ranger District AND Larimer County, Canyon Lakes Ranger District - Week of Dec 16 to Dec 23, 2024

Grand County: Fire managers are monitoring conditions for additional pile burning in Sulphur Ranger District, with the next possibile ignitions window starting on Tuesday, December 17, at the following Grand County location:

Fair Unit: Hand and Machine piles, located near Fair Tracts, east of Tabernash along Water Board Road (FSR 128).

Note: Several sections of the Fair Unit were already successfully burned the weeks of November 12th and December 9th.

_______

Larimer County: Fire managers plan to burn piles on Canyon Lakes Ranger District starting as early as tomorrow, Tuesday Dec 17, if conditions allow. The potential unit planned for this week is as follows:

Killpecker: Machine Piles. 4 miles south of County Road 86 along FSR 300, near North Bald Mountain.

Note: This is a small unit, and there is no polygon for this mapped location. Clicking on the link above will provide the location of the pile burn on the InciWeb map with no polygon.

AIRPORT POST-FIRE BAER ASSESSMENT REPORT SUMMARY RELEASED

The Forest Service—Cleveland National Forest completed a Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) post-fire assessment of the Airport burned area and affected watersheds to determine their response, soil conditions, potential threats, and recommended BAER emergency stabilization measures and actions on National Forest System (NFS) lands. BAER emergency treatments and activities are designed to decrease possible impacts to critical values from the burned areas during rainstorm events such as: human life and safety, property, critical natural resources, and cultural resources.

NOTE: Attached below as “Related Information” is a PDF documents called “Airport Post-Fire BAER Assessment Report Summary_PUBLIC”.

BAER SAFETY MESSAGE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains and increased water runoff. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events--be prepared to act. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service websites: www.weather.gove/sgx/ and www.weather.gov/lox/.

Rocky Mountain National Park News Release
December 6, 2024
For Immediate Release
Kyle Patterson 970-586-1363

Rocky Mountain National Park Announces Plans for Either Pile Burning or a Prescribed Burn on Monday, December 9, 2024

Based upon the potential for favorable weather and fuels conditions early next week, fire managers at Rocky Mountain National Park are planning to burn either a 60-acre section of the Headquarters Prescribed Fire Unit or conduct a pile burning operation near Wild Basin which will be visible from Highway 7 beginning on Monday, December 9, 2024. Fire managers will be actively monitoring weather and fuels conditions between now and Monday morning to determine which fire operation will take place.

Last month, NPS fire staff worked with several partner agencies to burn 100 acres of the 334-acre Headquarters Prescribed Fire Unit. If conditions remain favorable, the 60 acres the park plans to burn next week make up the second section of this unit. Fire managers would burn in an area located inside Rocky Mountain National Park, west of the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and south of U.S. Highway 36. Because of the fuel type that will be burned, which include mainly grasses and small shrubs, heavy and prolonged smoke is not expected from this operation.

If fire managers decide that conditions are more conducive for a pile burning operation, the park plans to burn up to 500 slash piles located inside Rocky Mountain National Park near the Wild Basin area in the southern part of the park. Slash from several fuels reduction and hazard tree removal projects have been cut and piled by park fire crews and contractors over the last two years. These piles are now dry enough to burn. Pile burning operations only occur when weather and conditions allow. 

The primary goal of both of these burn operations is to reduce the threat of wildland fire to adjacent communities and to NPS infrastructure by reducing the amount of fuels available on the landscape. When fighting the East Troublesome Fire in 2020 and the Fern Lake Fire in 2012, firefighters were able to take advantage of previous and existing prescribed fire and hazardous fuels treatment areas that provided a buffer between the fires and the town of Estes Park. Prior hazard fuels projects were instrumental in stopping both fires from crossing Bear Lake and Trail Ridge Roads.

If conditions are favorable for a prescribed fire, ignitions are planned to occur on Monday, December 9. Firefighters will be on scene for the duration of either operation and will patrol throughout the day and overnight.

Fire operations near the Beaver Meadows Entrance to RMNP may cause delays or road closures. If closures take place, inbound and outbound traffic will be divered through Fall River Entrance. Motorists should watch for fire vehicles on the roads and allow extra time for entering and exiting the park. Additional information will be shared on InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cormp-front-country-prescribed-fire and on RMNP’s official social media channels. NPS staff will be available at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center to answer questions.

For the safety of visitors and firefighters, park visitors will not be allowed to stop along U.S. Highway 36 within the burn area. Visitors will also not be able to walk within the burn area.

Smoke from either burn operation may be visible both inside and outside the park. With cooler temperatures in the evening, smoke may linger and accumulate in low-lying areas. Every effort will be made to minimize smoke impacts on visitors and the adjacent community; however, some smoke is anticipated to disperse east of the park.

Smoke may affect your health: For more information see https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health. Safety factors, weather conditions, air quality, personnel availability and environmental regulations are continually monitored as part of any fire management operation. For more information, contact the park Information Office at (970) 586-1206.

- NPS -

Grand County, Sulphur Ranger District - Week of Dec 9 to Dec 15, 2024

Fire managers are monitoring conditions for pile burning in Sulphur Ranger District, with the next possibile ignitions window starting on Monday, December 9, at the following Grand County location:

Fair Unit: Hand and Machine piles, located near Fair Tracts, east of Tabernash along Water Board Road (FSR 128).

Note: Several sections of the Fair Unit were already successfully burned the week of November 12th. These units were also slated for potential burning the week of Dec 2, but conditions were not favorable for pile burning in the area at that time. 

These are the only locations currently planned for pile burning in Sulphur Ranger District during this timeframe. A new update will be posted if any new units are planned. 

The Forest Service—Payette National Forest completed a Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) post-fire assessment of the Logan burned area and affected watersheds to determine their response, soil conditions, potential threats, and recommended BAER emergency stabilization measures and actions on National Forest System (NFS) lands. BAER emergency treatments and activities are designed to decrease possible impacts to critical values from the burned areas during rainstorm events such as: human life and safety, property, critical natural resources, and cultural resources.

NOTE: Attached below as “Related Information” is a PDF documents called “Logan Post-Fire BAER Assessment Report Summary_PUBLIC”.

BAER SAFETY MESSAGE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains and increased water runoff. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events--be prepared to act. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service website: www.weather.gov/boi/.

This week firefighters on the Grindstone Ranger District are attempting pile burning on up to 27 acres at Board Tree Camp, located in Glenn County off County Road 312.  Firefighters will also attempt burning piles at the Chico Seed Orchard, potentially 8 acres.

The Upper Lake and Covelo Districts have cancelled planned prescribed burn operations due to limited staffing and low relative humidity. In the coming weeks, as weather conditions and staffing allow, Upper Lake and Covelo Ranger District firefighters will attempt to burn piles along roadsides on the M1 Road North and South. Maps of pile burn operations can be found on Inciweb under the Maps tab.  

Larimer County, Canyon Lakes Ranger District - Week of Dec 3 to Dec 9, 2024

Fire managers plan to burn piles on Canyon Lakes Ranger District starting as early as tomorrow, Tuesday Dec 3, if conditions allow. The potential units planned for this week are as follows:

Chicken Park: Hand piles. 2.5 miles northeast of Crystal Lakes subdivision along roads FSR 180C, 181 and 181B.

Cow Creek: Machine piles. 4 miles west of Crystal Lakes subdivision at the intersection of FSR 169 (Pearl Beaver Road) and FSR 199.

Elkhorn 3: Machine piles. 3 miles southwest of Red Feather Lakes and west along FSR 517 (Bald Mountain Road).

Devils Creek Blowdown: Hand piles. 5 miles north of Crystal Lakes subdivision; at the intersection of County Road 80C and FSR 182.

Pierson Park: Hand piles. 3.5 miles southeast of Estes Park along Pierson Park Road and Johnny Park Road.

These are the only locations currently planned for Canyon Lakes Ranger District pile burning during this timeframe. A new update will be posted if any new units are planned.