6/26/12

Crow Peak Fire: let it burn


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Red flag warnings are posted for the Crow Peak fire zone today and an advancing weather system could escalate the intensity of the fire in the short term. From Inciweb:
The Crow Peak Fire, reported on Saturday, June 23, 2012 at 6:00pm approximately 3 miles southwest of Spearfish, has grown to 70 acres. It is burning in steep and rugged terrain with limited access. The Crow Peak Hiking Trail is closed to the public. Erratic behavior for given conditions. The Crow Peak road adn [sic] several forest service access roads are now closed except for fire officals and local residents. About 1/2 inch of rain fell on the fire last night and more crews arrived which will help with the containment of the fire.
Winds are out of the southeast as is typical for the season, moving the fire into oak and aspen breaks where it slows. There are no structures threatened anywhere near the burn zone where decades of slash and overgrowth burden aspen restoration in there.

Dozers reopened an old road and the scar will be visible on the north face for years to come: gawd.

Cooler temperatures and some rain are forecast for the next few days: let 'er burn.

Update, 17:15 MDT: No fire in the belly? This one had no chance. Too bad: conditions are perfect for a prescribed burn in there.
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4 comments:

  1. freeganJune 26, 2012 at 5:56 PM

    We have 5 large fires close here, temps from 98 to about 48 in last 24 hrs but windy as hell.

    ReplyDelete
  2. caheidelbergerJune 26, 2012 at 7:01 PM

    Larry, do you have any idea where the nearest structures are? Has anyone mapped the fire zone? Can the firefighters make the case that they have to stop it while it's small before it gets big and overruns fire protection efforts we could mount out where there are structures?

    ReplyDelete
  3. larry kurtzJune 27, 2012 at 5:29 AM

    Watching SW Montana with my teeth gritted, DH: hope you guys are ok.

    The fire is in the north bowl on mostly state ground and has already passed nearby structures, Cory.

    There is no let it burn policy in the Hills because there is no money to manage a fire not on the prescribed burn list.

    It's like the RCPD cougar shoot to kill policy: paranoia guides decisions, not science.

    ReplyDelete
  4. larry kurtzJune 27, 2012 at 1:01 PM

    Update, from Inciweb: "Firefighter priorities are to provide for firefighter and public safety, protect heritage resources, and keep the fire from advancing to the west. The management strategy for the Crow Peak fire is full containment with aggressive suppression."

    There you fucking have it.

    ReplyDelete

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