East Fork Fire Update: Tuesday, September 1 2020
Contact:
Caley Fisher | Public Information Officer
caley.fisher@state.co.us | 720.391.1565
Acres: 1,680
Containment: 60%
Date Started: 8/22/2020
Cause/Origin: Lightning/Natural
Location: 12 miles SE of Trinidad, CO. 1.5 miles from CO/NM border
Incident Commander: Larry Long, DFPC Battalion Chief
September 1, 2020: The East Fork fire maintains 1,680 acres with 60% containment gained as of this morning, map attached and above. As the fire received precipitation in the late afternoon yesterday with the potential for thunderstorms with precipitation today.
Lake Dorothy SWA in Colorado remains closed and is currently being used to stage resources. The fire is burning in the State of Colorado within James M John SWA and Lake Dorothey SWA, which is also the municipal watershed for the City of Raton (NM).
A dozer line was completed across the Southern flank of the fire; all dozer lines are now in place including a difficult section near Lake Dorothey, on the southeast portion of the fire. Firefighters will continue to reinforce and improve control lines over the next few days.
83 total personnel are fighting the fire including ground and aerial support.The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control is in communication with Hoehne Fire Protection District, Las Animas County (Colorado), Colorado Parks and Wildlife, New Mexico State Forestry, New Mexico State Patrol, Colfax County (NM), and City of Raton (NM).
Safety is the number one priority and as such, strategies moving forward include maintaining firefighter and public safety by utilizing sound risk management actions and utilizing suppression activities that guide the fire into natural barriers. Additionally, minimizing the potential impacts of COVID-19 through the practice of social distancing, proper personal hygiene, and regular cleaning.
Receive Alerts-Sign Up For Code Red! To sign up for CodeRed, go to trinidad.co.gov, click on the Public Safety tab, then click CodeRed and follow the instructions. If you do not have internet, please go to the Police Station, M-F 8-5 and ask to sign up!
Fire Restrictions: As a reminder, Stage 1 Fire restrictions are in effect in Las Animas County. This is due not only to the potential for high winds, but the moisture content of potential fuels at lower elevations as well as the limited resources available to combat a large-scale fire due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Learn more at https://www.lasanimascounty.net/.
Tomorrow (September 2nd) will be the last update unless there are significant changes.
