The Decker Fire is currently listed at 7,105 acres and 15 percent contained. There are currently 851 firefighting personnel working the fire.
Due to warmer temperatures, low humidity, and gusting winds, there will be a Red Flag Warning only over the fire today.
Please drive with caution as firefighters are starting to backhaul over 100,000’ of hose, 150 pumps and 140 pumpkins (portable water tanks). Backhaul begins in neighborhoods where fire managers are confident that the fire threat has diminished.
Weather: Across the fire area today, skies will be clear with max temps 49-54 degrees. A minimum humidity of 6-10% with winds from the WSW 10-15 mph and gusts 25-35 mph will continue to dry the fuels. The extremely low humidity of 7% at Bear Creek early in the day will result in fuels being more receptive to fire earlier. Most visible smoke from yesterday was from firefighters burning out pockets of fuel to reinforce fireline.
Current Situation: On Division R, firefighters are monitoring the NW side of the fire that has been designated ‘minimal threat-limited action’ and back hauling structure protection equipment from the communities to the north. Near the east side at the Rainbow Trail crews will monitor fire line when the burn operation is implemented in Division T. To the NE in Division T, chippers are completing work along CR 101. Friday, fire managers completed trials with plastic sphere dispensers (PSDs) to test receptivity of fuels. It was determined that the fuels were not ready to successfully implement the burn plan. Today the fuels are expected to be receptive; however, the burn tactics have been adjusted due to gusting winds.
Crews will perform ground ignition to remove fuels between the fire’s edge and the Rainbow Trail contingency line. Seven crews and four engines will implement the burn plan using drip torches to lay fire on the ground and flare pistols to ignite fuels farther from the trail. Air resources will be available to assist as needed. In Division W on the SE two hotshot crews will continue clean up of large downed trees near the fire line along Muddy Creek. To mitigate risks involved when working in remote, difficult terrain, a Rapid Extraction Module (REM) is staged on the Rainbow Trail. Division X was monitored yesterday with no issues noted and Division A firefighters successfully burned fuels from the SE corner of the fire edge near Dorsey Creek.
Today Divisions A and X will be combined (Division A/X) and will be working to patrol, mop-up and backhaul as needed. An excavator is knocking down hazard trees as fire suppression repair tasks begin. Structure Group will be divided between backhauling equipment and monitoring structures to the east when the burn plan is being implemented. The Night shift continues to monitor established fire lines.
Closures and Public Safety: There are road closures in Chaffee, Fremont and Saguache County. Please respect closures. San Isabel Forest closures: https://tinyurl.com/SanIsabelClosures. Rio Grande Forest closures: https://tinyurl.com/RioGrandeClosures. BLM closures: https://tinyurl.com/BLMCLosure.
For evacuation information, please contact the Chaffee County Sherriff’s Office: 719-539-2596, or Fremont County Emergency Management: 719-276-7416, 719-276-7418.
