Coal Gulch Fire - Evening Update 7/25

Coal Gulch Fire – Update
7/25/16 – 19:00

• 90 percent containment
• Fire continues to stay within fire line
• Hand crews from USFS Idaho Pan-Handle Crew along with DFPD continued work on containment lines and extinguishment today
• Fire size 5.8 acres
• Next update will be after crews have obtained full containment, unless events occur with fire behavior that change expected goals for Tuesday.

Incident Background

Durango Fire was dispatched to a smoke report in the Perins Peak State Wildlife Area on Saturday, July 23.  Crews found a ½ acre fire, assumed to be a lightning strike hold over from last week’s storms.  Fire continued to grow during initial stages, up to 5.8 acres.  7 DFPD personnel worked the fire with 2 SEAT drops, and 22 bucket drops of water from a Type 2 helicopter.  Fire was 5% contained as of 23:00hrs Saturday night. 

 

Sunday (7/24), a 10-person hand crew from Idaho Panhandle (USFS), 6-10 people from Columbine Crew (Bayfield, CO), the Type 2 helicopter with 19 drops, a Skidgine (Soft-Track firefighting engine that carries 1000 gallons of water and has a blade on the front), 4 DFPD personnel are deployed to the fire.  The Objective for the day was safety, keep fire south of drainage out of heavy timber, flank and hold road as main control line.

 

Monday (7/25) DFPD crew along with 10-person hand crew from Idaho Panhandle (USFS) continued with strengthening fire lines and extinguishment.  Fire is staying within containment lines. Crews are off the fire for the night at 1900.  DFPD Crews will continue on Tuesday with full containment as a goal.

 

 

Fire is being managed by Durango Fire Rescue

- Incident Commander Scott Nielsen with DFR

 

Two Rock Fall Mitigation Projects Set for SW Colorado

SW COLORADO - The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will be working on two rock fall maintenance projects in Archuleta and La Plata Counties over the next two weeks.

ROCK FALL AREA 1:

Beginning Monday, July 25 and continuing through the end of the week, crews will be working on US Highway 160 between Bayfield and Pagosa Springs. The specific area is located in Archuleta County just east of Yellow Jacket Pass (MP 116). On the north side of the road, large rocks and debris have come loose and lodged underneath the barrier netting that was originally placed on the hillside. Crews will use a crane to lift and shake the netting to release the rocks and boulders. The netting will be replaced as well as new netting installed.

CDOT engineer Kevin Curry said, “The cable netting has done its job. The barrier has prevented rocks from coming down onto the roadway. But we now need to do a little maintenance and clean out debris from underneath the netting.”  

TRAVEL IMPACTS: US 160 is a three-lane road at this location, therefore crews will be able to work in the far outside lane closest to the hillside. Two-lane traffic will be maintained, however occasional stops and delays may be necessary when heavy equipment is being moved. Motorists are urged to use caution and watch for maintenance crews and signage.

ROCK FALL AREA 2:

Crews will work the following week for two days, Aug 1 and 2, at an area in La Plata County, just south of Durango on Colorado Highway (CO) 3. The shale cliff on the east side of CO 3 also was previously mitigated with the use of netting. Large boulders have fallen and are trapped on top of the steel posts which hold up the netting. A crane will be used to open up the netting and attempt to allow the boulders to fall.     

TRAVEL IMPACTS: Traffic on CO 3 will encounter some temporary closures periodically over the course of the two day project. Electronic signs will advise motorists of traffic stops and delays.  Motorists may want to consider alternate routes and are urged to use caution and watch for maintenance crews and signage.

Stay Informed: To sign up to receive project information and/or lane closure updates on state highways in the area of your choice, visit CDOT’s website at www.codot.gov and choose the envelope icon at the bottom of the page. Or, to see CDOT’s lane closure reports for projects statewide, visit www.codot.gov/travel/scheduled-lane-closures.html. 

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Coal Gulch Fire - Morning Update

Coal Gulch Fire - Update
7/25/16 – 09:00

• 75 percent containment
• Fire continues to stay within fire line
• Hand crews from USFS Idaho Pan-Handle Crew along with DFPD will continue work on containment lines, Monday 7/25
• Fire size 5.8 acres

Incident Background

Durango Fire was dispatched to a smoke report in the Perins Peak State Wildlife Area on Saturday, July 23.  Crews found a ½ acre fire, assumed to be a lightning strike hold over from last week’s storms.  Fire continued to grow during initial stages, up to 5.8 acres.  7 DFPD personnel worked the fire with 2 SEAT drops, and 22 bucket drops of water from a Type 2 helicopter.  Fire was 5% contained as of 23:00hrs Saturday night. 

 

Sunday (7/24), a 10-person hand crew from Idaho Panhandle (USFS), 6-10 people from Columbine Crew (Bayfield, CO), the Type 2 helicopter with 19 drops, a Skidgine (Soft-Track firefighting engine that carries 1000 gallons of water and has a blade on the front), 4 DFPD personnel are deployed to the fire.  The Objective for the day was safety, keep fire south of drainage out of heavy timber, flank and hold road as main control line.

 

Fire is being managed by Durango Fire Rescue

- Incident Commander Scott Nielsen with DFR

Coal Gulch Fire - evening update

Coal Gulch Fire - Update
7/24/16 - 1800

• 75 percent containment
• No spot fires occurred outside of fire line today
• Crews and Helicopter will be released at 18:30 for the night
• Hand crews from USFS Idaho PanHandle Crew along with DFPD will continue work on containment lines, Monday 7/25

         

Meeting at 11:00hrs on 7/24/16 with State of Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, LPC Sheriff, LPC OEM, ChiefsDoughty and Black from DFPD to discuss cost sharing:  Fire is on State lands, which falls to the Sheriff to manage (County responsibility per the State Law and negotiated Annual Operating Plan).  State has agreed to cover aircraft expenses from 7/23/16, and is working on covering the Type 2 for 7/24/16.  A 9 person USFS crew from Idaho Panhandle are working the fire 7/24/16 and planning on using them 7/25/16.  The State will cover their cost.  DFPD resources are on scene, and are covered by DFPD.  A Skidgine is on scene, will be covered by the County.  A 5 person crew from Columbine is on scene, but available for other responses.  DFPD will maintain Command of the fire, with assistance from LPC Sheriff, OEM, State DFPC, and other local and federal resources.

Coal Gulch Fire - Saturday (7/24) UPDATE

Coal Gulch Fire

Update 7/24

Fire is being managed by Durango Fire Rescue

Yesterday (7/23) around 16:00 hours, Durango Fire was dispatched to a smoke report in the Perins Peak State Wildlife Area.  Crews found a ½ acre fire, assumed to be a lightning strike hold over from last week’s storms.  Fire continued to grow during initial stages, and is now 5.8 acres as of 21:00hrs yesterday.  7 DFPD personnel worked the fire with 2 SEAT drops, and 22 bucket drops of water from a Type 2 helicopter.  Fire was 5% contained as of 23:00hrs yesterday. 

Today (7/24), a 10 person hand crew from Idaho Panhandle (USFS), 6-10 people from Columbine Crew (Bayfield, CO), the Type 2 helicopter, a Skidgine (Track drive firefighting engine that carries 1000 gallons of water and has a blade on the front), 4 DFPD personnel and a small overhead team are deployed to the fire.  The Objective for the day is Safety, keep fire south of drainage out of heavy timber, flank and hold road as main control line.

Fire is being managed by Durango Fire Rescue

- Incident Commander Scott Nielsen with DFR

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Black Ridge Fire - Maps

Black Ridge Fire, Durango, CO

Update as of 1630 hours, July 14, 2016:

Fire is currently 78 acres with retardant on 80% of perimeter - the remaining 20% is predominantly burn scar and does not need retardant.  The fire is currently 20% contained with dozer and hand-lines.

Initial plan for 7/14/16 is to direct air support, hand and dozer crews to SW line of the fire perimeter.

There are currently 50 personnel working the fire with and additional Type 2 crew arriving this morning which will bring to total to 70.

There are currently no structures threatened; oil and gas resources are also protected at this point.  Oil and gas crews will have limited access today.

Residents in the area will CONTINUE to be on PRE-EVACUATION notice for today until otherwise notified.

Teenager rescued from Cascade Creek waterfalls

Third incident at popular jumping spot in two weeks

By Mary Shinn Herald staff writer

A 16-year-old boy was rescued from the waterfalls at Cascade Creek Thursday evening,

Two waterfall jumpers cling to rocks in Cascade Creek north of Purgatory Resort in June. Three jumpers entered the canyon and soon realized that the water was flowing high and fast, making it dangerous to jump down the series of waterfalls. Another teenager boy found himself in a similar situation Thursday. Crews were able to rescue him, and he was unharmed. 

Two waterfall jumpers cling to rocks in Cascade Creek north of Purgatory Resort in June. Three jumpers entered the canyon and soon realized that the water was flowing high and fast, making it dangerous to jump down the series of waterfalls. Another teenager boy found himself in a similar situation Thursday. Crews were able to rescue him, and he was unharmed.

The rescue efforts for the uninjured teen started shortly before 4 p.m., said Ron Corkish, the president of the La Plata County Search and Rescue.

Emergency responders from the Durango Fire Protection District, San Juan County Search and Rescue and La Plata County Search and Rescue worked together to get him out of the canyon.

It was a textbook rescue that took about 20 minutes from the time the rescuer left the edge of the slot canyon to returning to the side with the teenager, Corkish said.

Crews rescue between three to six people from the falls each year, and the rescue workers have predetermined anchor points to use during the rope rescues, because many of them tend to get stuck in the same place, he said.

The water has also been running unseasonably high.

“What used to be standing up in a pool up to your ankles is now still raging,” he said.

This is the third rescue in two weeks.

Three young men were rescued June 27. On July 3, three more people needed help. Two were rescued, but one of them, Haley Clarke, 19, of Bayfield, drowned in the falls.

Those who have never jumped the falls can’t see all the waterfalls from the top and the amount of water in the canyon may catch some by surprise, said Patt Yeager Emmitt, who grew up near the falls.

“It’s really very hard to see what they are dealing with,” she said.

Jumping the waterfalls is not recommended, according to a warning on the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

U.S. has highest car crash death rate, despite progress, CDC says

By Aria Hangyu Chen, Special to CNN

Updated 9:16 AM ET, Thu July 7, 2016

(CNN) More people die in car crashes each year in the United States than in other high-income countries, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report Wednesday. 

In 2013, more than 32,000 people died on U.S. roads, roughly 90 fatalities a day, according to the CDC.

The U.S. has seen a 31% reduction in its motor vehicle death rate per capita over the past 13 years. But compared with 19 other wealthy countries, which have declined an average of 56% during the same period, the U.S. has the slowest decrease. Road death rates in countries such as Spain and Denmark have dropped 75.1% and 63.5%, respectively. 

If the United States had reduced its death rate to the average of other countries, 18,000 more lives would have been saved, according to the CDC report.

Researchers analyzed data from 2000 to 2013 from the World Health Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. They compared U.S. numbers with those of 19 countries, including Japan, Sweden and the United Kingdom. They took into consideration accidents and fatalities that involved drivers, pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists. 

"It is important to compare us not to our past but to our potential. Seeing that other high-income countries are doing better, we know we can do better too," Dr. Debra Houry, director of the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, said in a news release. "People of our nation deserve better and safer transport."

Recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed a 7.7% increase in road deaths in 2015, jumping from 32,600 in 2014 to 35,200 last year.

Buckle up, don't drive drunk, and obey speed limit 

Houry attributed the high U.S. death rates to alcohol use, speeding and infrequent use of seat belts, especially among children. She mentioned Wednesday that 38% of children under the age 12 who died in car crashes in 2013 were not wearing seat belts. 

The Vital Signs report says 3,000 more lives would be saved if everyone were buckled up. 

To reduce deaths from drunken driving, the CDC suggests setting up public sobriety checkpoints, using a device that detects blood alcohol concentration for convicted offenders, lowering blood alcohol concentration limits, and maintaining and enforcing the minimum legal U.S. drinking age of 21 years.

Though there are many things that federal and state officials can do to improve road safety, drivers and passengers can follow these tips:

• Use a seat belt in every seat, on every trip, no matter how short.
• Make sure children are always properly buckled into the back seat in a car seat, booster seat or seat belt, whichever is appropriate for their age, height and weight.
• Choose not to drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs, and help others do the same.
• Obey speed limits.
• Drive without distractions (such as using a cell phone or texting).

Public invited to participate in Leave No Trace Events July 11-18

SAN JUAN NATIONAL FOREST

15 Burnett Court

Durango, Colorado 81301

970 247-4874

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 5, 2016

Public invited to participate in Leave No Trace Events July 11-18

SILVERTON - The San Juan Mountains Association, Leave No Trace, Inc., and the U.S. Forest Service invite organizations and individuals to participate in Leave No Trace events in Durango and at the Ice Lakes Trail near Silverton in July as follows: 

Tues., July 12:  Leave No Trace training sessions, San Juan Public Lands Center, 15 Burnett Court, Durango. (Note:  Although sessions are geared towards certain groups, they are not exclusive – any group/individual may attend any session.)

·         9 am - noon:  Outdoor retailers, agency personnel, and businesses.

·         1 pm - 4 pm:  Youth and youth groups.

·         6 pm - 9 pm:  Volunteer groups, general public.

Wed., July 13:  Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers will be talking with visitors in the Ice Lakes area about techniques for caring for this fragile and beautiful alpine area.  They will also offer training at the Ice Lakes Trailhead, Forest Rd. 585 (South Mineral Rd.) 6 mi. west of Silverton. 

·         9 am - 11am.  Leave No Trace training session on-site at trailhead. 

·         11 am - 2 pm.  New Kiosk and trailhead sign installation for Ice Lakes Trailhead. 

Thurs., July 14.    Ice Lakes Trailhead, Forest Rd. 585 (South Mineral Rd.) 6 mi. west of Silverton. 

·         10am - 1pm.  Trail maintenance project followed by BBQ lunch provided by San Juan Mountains Association.

If you, your business, volunteer group, youth group would like to participate, please contact kathe@sjma.org by July 8.  However, pre-registration is not required and all who can attend will be welcome at the various events.  If you plan to participate as a volunteer worker, please wear boots, long pants, and bring gloves and eye protection.  All attendees should come equipped for an outdoor day trip with water, snacks, rain gear, etc.  Volunteer workers will be required to sign a volunteer agreement. 

Leave No Trace, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible recreational use of land and resources as embodied within the “Seven Principles” of low-impact practices.  More information on Leave No Trace and the “Hot Spot” program can be found at www.lnt.org.

Please contact Kathe Hayes at (970) 385-1310 or Brian White at (970) 385-1246 if you would like more information on the upcoming events.