Medano Fire
Location: 70 mi SW of Pueblo, Saguache Co. CO
Specific Location: Little Medano Ck, North Horse Canyon, Great Sand Dunes NP and Pike and San Isabel NF, Lat 37° 48´ 23″ Lon 105° 29´ 20″
Date of Origin: 06/6/2010
Cause: Lightning
Situation as of 08/05/2010 8:00 am
Personnel: 9
Size: 6,249 acres
Percent Contained: 90%
Costs to Date: $4,723,767
IC will transition to Paul Duarte at 1900 8-6-10.
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Situation as of 07/29/2010 11:00 am
Personnel: 12
Size: 6,249 acres
Percent Contained: 90%
Costs to Date: $4,697,917
Fire has received up to an inch of rain in some areas over the last 7 days, although rain has been very localized and not wide spread in some instances.
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Situation as of 07/22/2010 3:00 pm
Personnel: 13
Size: 6,249 acres
Percent Contained: 90%
Costs to Date: $4,670,000
Creeping, smoldering and small areas of surface fire where continuous fuels exist. The fire continues to back down into Castle Creek and seasonally cured heavy dead and down fuels are burning within the interior.
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Situation as of 07/15/2010 5:30 pm
Personnel: 32
Size: 6,249 acres
Percent Contained: 90%
Costs to Date: $4,526,000
Conditions continue to be warmer and drier and heavy dead and down fuels continue to smolder. Fire increased ten acres in size due to activity in the Castle Creek Drainage. Torching and uphill runs with noticeable smoke. No precipitation since July 8th.
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Situation as of 07/10/2010 3:00 pm
Personnel: 32
Size: 6,239 acres
Percent Contained: 90%
Costs to Date: $4,400,000
Conditions are warmer and drier and heavy dead and down fuels continue to smolder. Local Type 3 organization is managing the fire.
It was local fire management that failed to even attempt to contain the Medano Fire in the first place, allowing the fire to blow up. Somebody at Great Sand Dunes NP owes the American taxpayer $4.4 million dollars, the cost of their screw-up. Remember this name: Art Hutchinson. He’s the Supe of the GSDNP and the ultimate responsible party.
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Situation as of 07/05/2010 5:30 pm
Personnel: 199
Size: 6,231 acres
Percent Contained: 73%
Costs to Date: $4,100,000
Crews and engines continued to monitor and hold control lines and burnout. Fire continues to meet resource objectives in Castle Creek Drainage. “Resource objectives” are spurious and jejune, however.
Spot fires outside control lines are subject to slack-jawed dis-observation. Party fire.
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Situation as of 07/03/2010 5:15 pm
Personnel: 210
Size: 6,231 acres
Percent Contained: 73%
Costs to Date: $4,000,000
Rocky Mountain Team C (IC - Lowe) assumed command of the incident as of 2000 on July 2. Crews and engines continued to monitor and hold control lines. Aerial resources continued to support holding operations on the burnout unit. Mosca Trail Road (County Road 583) is now open.
Perimeter Acreage: Great Sand Dunes National Park = 490 ac; Great Sand Dunes Preserve = 5,270; Total for NPS = 5,247ac; Pike / San Isabel National Forest = 961 acres. NUMBERS DO NOT ADD UP!
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Situation as of 07/01/2010 6:00 pm
Personnel: 243
Size: 6,208 acres
Percent Contained: 73%
Costs to Date: $3,500,000
Perimeter Acreage: Great Sand Dunes National Park = 490 ac (no change); Great Sand Dunes Preserve = 4,724 (no change); Total for NPS = 5,214 ac; Pike / San Isabel National Forest = 593 acres (increase of 321 acres). NUMBERS DO NOT ADD UP!
Most recent active fire behavior and fire growth was associated with burnout operations located in the southeast portion of the fire. Low to moderate rates of spread and low flame lengths occurred on fuels ignited in the burnout operation. West of the Divide there was a noticeable increase in fire activity from a spot fire on the northwest perimeter and in the Horse Creek/Castle Creek divide.
Firing is nearly complete and the aerial firing module is being demobilized. Helicopters and crews took suppression actions on a spot fire located on the Medano/Little Medano Creek divide. Colorado Division of Wildlife and National Park Service personnel conducted endangered fish relocation from Medano Creek. In-briefing for Rocky Mountain ICT2 C is scheduled for 1900 today.
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Situation as of 06/29/2010 6:00 pm
Personnel: 286
Size: 5,486 acres
Percent Contained: 7%
Costs to Date: $2,900,000
Perimeter Acreage: Great Sand Dunes National Park = 490 ac (no change); Great Sand Dunes Preserve = 4,724 (increase 6 acres); Total for NPS = 5,214 ac; Pike / San Isabel National Forest = 272 acres (increase of 31 acres). Acres from IR flight 6/28 at 2305 hrs.
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Situation as of 06/28/2010 6:15 pm
Personnel: 305
Size: 5,449 acres
Percent Contained: 7%
Costs to Date: $2,590,000
Aerial ignitions were initiated as scheduled and made good progress in achieving the burnout objectives. Crews continued to construct and improve control lines supporting the burnout operation.
The long term planning group will conduct a final review and editing of the Long Term Implementation Plan. Agency briefing on the LTIP is scheduled on 6/30 in Salida, CO. Note that the fire plan for this fire took 4 weeks from date of ignition to develop. If we can get a copy we will post it.
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Situation as of 06/27/2010 6:35 pm
Personnel: 351
Size: 5,440 acres
Percent Contained: 7%
Costs to Date: $2,300,000
Line prep and planning actions continued in preparation for an aerially ignited burnout operation encompassing approximately 2400 acres. Firing operations are tentatively planned on 6/28.
Perimeter Acreage: Great Sand Dunes National Park = 490 ac (no change); Great Sand Dunes Preserve = 4,711 (increase 14 acres); Total for NPS = 5,201 ac; Pike / San Isabel National Forest = 239 acres (increase of 9 acres). Acres from IR flight 6/26 at 2323 hrs.
The long term planning group expects to complete the long range fire plan by the end of shift on 6/29. Agency briefing on the LTIP is tentatively scheduled on 6/30 in Salida, CO.
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Situation as of 06/26/2010 6:35 pm
Personnel: 344
Size: 5,440 acres
Percent Contained: 7%
Costs to Date: $2,000,000
Indirect line construction is mostly complete on the east flank. Crews were unable to complete line preparation on 6/26 and will continue on 6/27. Firing operations are tentatively planned on 6/28. All fire operations stood down for one minute at 1418 in recognition of the 20 year anniversary of the Dude Fire tragedy. Crews scheduled for demobilization will be held to finalize line preparation in support of an aerially ignited burnout rescheduled for 6/28.
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Situation as of 06/25/2010 6:45 pm
Personnel: 361
Size: 5,417 acres
Percent Contained: 7%
Costs to Date: $1,780,000
Acreage: Great Sand Dunes National Park = 490 ac (increase of 2 acres); Great Sand Dunes Preserve = 4,697 (increase 69 acres); Total for NPS = 5,187 ac; Pike / San Isabel National Forest = 230 acres (increase of 11acres). Acres from IR flight 6/24 at 2322 hrs
Indirect line construction continues on the east flank. Crews initiated work on control lines into the Castle Creek Drainage on the west side of fire.
The long term planning group expects to complete the long range fire plan on 6/30.
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Situation as of 06/24/2010 6:45 pm
Personnel: 332
Size: 5,335 acres
Percent Contained: 7%
Costs to Date: $1,414,000
Acreage: Great Sand Dunes National Park = 488 ac (increase of 5 acres); Great Sand Dunes Preserve = 4,628 (increase 429 acres); Total for NPS = 5,116 ac; Pike / San Isabel National Forest = 219 acres (increase of 10 acres). Acres from IR flight 6/24 at 0128 hrs.
Indirect line construction continues on E flank of fire. First time consideration of control options on W side of fire after increase in fire behavior in Horse Creek yesterday. After 17 days of lah dee dah and Let It Burn, a strategy is (allegedly) finally being developed to confine the southern end of the fire.
Backing, flanking, short duration crown runs, and both short and long range (approximately 1/2 mile) spotting observed in southeast corner. Fire was very active in the Horse and Castle Creek drainages late in burning period. A significant column developed from this increased fire activity.
Air pollution from this National Park Service Let It Burn fire is causing public health and safety problems downwind. The GSDNP issued this statement today:
Although the air quality is usually very good during morning hours, smoky conditions can develop in the afternoon.
No reports as yet on how many culturally modified trees (peeled for food or medicine by American Indian tribes) have been destroyed by the Medano Fire. Blanca Peak, just southeast of the Dunes, is one of the four sacred mountains of the Navajo.
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Situation as of 06/23/2010 6:00 pm
Personnel: 235
Size: 4,891 acres
Percent Contained: 7%
Costs to Date: $1,110,000
A public meeting is planned for this evening in Westcliffe.
Fire was very active in the Horse and Castle Creek drainages about 1630. A significant column developed from this increased fire activity. Helicopters worked the spot fire that occurred late yesterday but proved to be ineffective. Backing, flanking, short duration crown runs, and both short and long range (approximately 1/2 mile) spotting observed in SE corner.
Fire is not being managed for containment or control. Some limited perimeter control is planned when the opportunity to be effective presents itself. Four of the T2 crews are wildland fire use (whoofoo) modules (2 NPS, 1 FS, and 1 BLM).
Acreage breakdown by ownership not updated despite four whoofoo modules whose primary job (ostensibly) is monitoring. No monitoring reports presented.
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Situation as of 06/22/2010 5:30 pm
Personnel: 216
Size: 4,772 acres
Percent Contained: 7%
Costs to Date: $824,000
A briefing with Agency administrators for reviewing and approving the WFDSS and management strategy occurred today. The fire will be managed with a confinement strategy coupled with direct control actions where feasible. Direct handline construction has been initiated on the northeast corner of the fire. A public meeting is planned for this evening in Gardner.
A long term planning team located on west side of fire continues to work on long range plan for the fire area. Crews constructed direct line along north side of finger that burned on the San Isabelle NF.
Acreage: Great Sand Dunes National Park = 483 ac (same as 6/20); Great Sand Dunes Preserve = 4,169 (increase 39 acres); Total for NPS = 4,652 ac; Pike / San Isabel National Forest = 120 acres (increase of 20 acres).
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Situation as of 06/21/2010 4:30 pm
Personnel: 232
Size: 4,713 acres
Percent Contained: 5%
Costs to Date: $630,000
Red flag conditions with low humidity and high winds were experienced today with interior burning and moderate fire growth.
Fire is being managed for Confinement and Point Protection, NOT containment. Some limited perimeter control did occur during initial stages of fire within the Great Sand Dunes NP, but perimeter control is not a goal on this fire.
Red Flag Warning again for 6/22. Crews on west side continue to remove snags and downed logs across Medano Creek Road to try to get it passable.
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Situation as of 06/20/2010 5:40 pm
Personnel: 173
Size: 4,541 acres
Percent Contained: 5%
Reduction in acreage due to more accurate mapping.
Red flag conditions with low humidity and high winds were experienced today with interior burning and moderate fire growth. Transfer of Command for Forest Service portion of the fire occurred at 0600 yesterday.
Crews on west side continue to remove down logs across Medano Pass Road to try to get it passable. Structure assessments and preparation activities are continuing. Priority assessment and long range planning efforts are focused on the W side of the fire.
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Situation as of 06/19/2010 6:00 pm
Personnel: 123
Size: 4,312 acres
Percent Contained: 5%
Reduction in acreage due to more accurate mapping.
Transfer of command from Duarte (Type 4) to Hahnenberg (Type 2) for west side of fire (NPS) at 0700 6/19. The transfer for east side from Hessler (Type 3) to Hahnenberg (Type 2) at 0700 today.
Crews on west side will continue to improve Medano Pass Road to try to get it passable. Personnel on west side will begin working on Long Term Plan to assess potential fire movement and develop resource and structure protection plans.
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Situation as of 06/18/2010 7:00 pm
Personnel: 15
Size: 5,349 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Costs to Date: $100,000
Inversion until 1300, fire made crown runs, main activity lasted 3 hours.
Type 2 Team to assume Great Sand Dunes NP @ 0700 on 6/19/2010 and assume San Isabel NF @ 0700 on 6/20/2010.
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Situation as of 06/18/2010 1:40 pm
Personnel: not reported
Size: 5,349 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Costs to Date: not reported
The Medano Fire was a Let It Burn fire, managed as a whoofoo (WFU or wildland fire use) by the National Park Service. They toyed with it until it blew up yesterday in strong winds.
June 9 - 11 acres
June 12 - 270 acres
June 16 - 375 acres
June 17 - 3,000 acres
June 18 - 5,349 acres
This fire has not yet been reported in the National Fire News, InciWeb, or by the Rocky Mountain GACC. The best reports are coming from a blogger, Bill Habbert at Wildfire Today [here]. He reports:
The Medano fire, about 70 miles southwest of Pueblo, Colorado, that we told you about yesterday, has crossed the boundary of Great Sand Dunes National Park and has moved into the San Isabel National Forest. A short version of Hahnenberg’s Rocky Mountain Area Type 2 Incident Management Team was ordered last night and will inbrief at 4 p.m. today.
Lightning started the fire on June 6 and until yesterday it had been managed, not fully suppressed, for resource benefits. But strong southwest winds on Thursday caused the fire to grow from 373 acres to about 3,000. Yesterday and today red flag warnings were issued for the area, fire weather zone 224. Today’s red flag warning is in effect until Saturday at 9 p.m. for gusty winds, low humidity, high Haines indices, and dry fuels.
The Medano fire is still not listed in the National Situation Report or Inciweb, but it was mentioned in the briefing at NIFC this morning. I imagine the 20-30 people managing the fire had their hands full and paperwork or sitting at a computer was not the first thing on their to do list. This may or may not change after the short incident management team assumes command late today or tomorrow.
A few minutes ago park spokesperson Carol E. Sperling said that so far today an inversion is mitigating fire activity. Later as the weather heats up, the predicted strong winds materialize, and the fire activity increases, the inversion may dissipate, allowing increased fire spread. However, there is a “big plume” right now which is most likely in the North Horse Canyon area.
The Great Sand Dunes NP issued their first fire update yesterday [here]. The Pike & San Isabel NF has not issued any update or notice [here].
by Christa
The Medano fire may be “safe” for houses and property, but people are getting sick from the smoke and it becomes an emergency for them. I had to go for oxygen and if the winds hadn’t shifted back would have been in serious trouble.