In what Cameron Peak Fire information officer Kale Casey on Saturday called good news for hunters, the U.S. Forest Service announced the lifting of some, but not all, closures on the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests.
Those reopenings start on Sunday.
But, in a Facebook video early Saturday afternoon, Casey cautioned those who want to head out to the forest for hunting or recreation to be careful.
“A new campfire by a hunter that has a spark event that blows out could be a new issue for the whole area,” he said.
Casey asked people to follow state law and burn restrictions that are in place, and to be vigilant when out in the forest. “Please don’t get complacent,” he said.
According to the Facebook page for Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests, as of Sunday, the areas on the Canyon Lakes District that are reopening are located generally north of the Tunnel Campground and County Road 80C; west of County Road 103; east of the west side of the largest unit of the Cherokee Park Wildlife Area and north of County Road 74E and Colo. 14 from east of the Narrows Campground.
The open areas include the northern portion of the Rawah Wilderness, the Roach Area and trails north of Colo. 14 in the lower Poudre Canyon.
Land south of Colo. 14 remains closed.
Campgrounds remain closed too.
The USFS post said a team of county sheriffs, Colorado Parks and Wildlife regional managers, fire managers and Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest Supervisor Monte Williams will meet Monday to consider whether the expected moisture over the weekend was sufficient to allow them to roll back fire restrictions south of the highway to Stage 2 from the current Stage 3 under which areas are closed to use.
Under Stage 2 restrictions, all fires and activities that could start fires are banned, but the forest is open.
Fire staff remained concerned about the potential for fire in the area, even as rain and snow is forecast for Sunday and Monday.
“Fuels are still measuring as dry as the peak of summer. But shorter days, cooler temperatures and less strain on firefighting resources gives us more confidence that we could catch a new start quickly,” a post on Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests website stated.
Casey said the weekend weather would add moisture to forest fuels, but would not be enough to extinguish the fire that has been burning since Aug. 13.
“This is not enough moisture that’s incoming to be a season-ending event,” he said.
In a separate post, incident meteorologist Steven Ippoliti said only about one-quarter inch of moisture will come from the storm, in the form of rain and snow, with 3 to 5 inches of snow expected in the area northeast of Estes Park, and lesser amounts in areas to the east.
Fire behavior analyst Katie Hetts explained that as a result of persistent drought, vegetation remains dry and it will take a long time for larger fuels, those 3 inches in diameter and larger, to absorb moisture from storms.
Casey said areas where firefighters continue to see heat recently include Pingree Park and an area between miles 71 and 72 on Colo. 14.
And a new fire is the firefighters’ biggest worry, he said.
Casey said equipment has been left in place in areas such as Glen Haven to be easily accessible if anything changes.
Most of the Pacific Northwest Team 2, which has been fighting the wildfire for two weeks, will head home after Saturday as Pacific Northwest Team 10 takes over, but Casey said some members of Team 2 will stay on to help.
The Cameron Peak Fire remains at 208,913 acres and 92% containment. The Cameron Peak inciweb page lists the estimated date of full containment as Sunday.
The East Troublesome Thompson Zone spot fire in Rocky Mountain National Park remains at 4,889 acres and 48% containment.
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November 08, 2020 at 04:55AM
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Cameron Peak Fire: Forest areas north of Colo. 14 to reopen Sunday - Loveland Reporter-Herald
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