Bull Draw Fire in Colorado still growing
Brian Pisarek, Incident Commander
Bull Draw Fire Statistics:
Start Date: July 29, 2018
Location: 12 miles northwest of Nucla, Colo.
Size: 25,190 acres
Percent Contained: 19 percent
Total Personnel: 380 Cause: Lightning
Storms passed through Monday afternoon bringing with them 1/10 to 1/3 of an inch of rain. The rain only fell along the northeastern side of the fire. There was not enough rain to impact the fire’s spread. Tuesday, there were still storm cells surrounding areas of the fire. They continue to bring gusty and erratic outflow winds, along with active lightning. Local winds over the fire are down slope, down valley Tuesday morning (winds will follow the terrain, down into the lower elevations). Temperatures remain around mid-80s on the ridge tops and low 90s in the valley. With the monsoon moisture and storm cells present, the relative humidity will be 17-22 percent.
Since our last morning update, the fire has grown 3,410 acres. Due to afternoon storm cells and gusty winds, fire made two main pushes to the northwest and southern edge of the fire. In the northwest fire grew around the Campbell Point/Coyote Basin area. In the southern area of the fire continued to push into the 2004 Campbell fire scar.
Engines and crews are working around the Campbell Point homes to reduce the amount of heat in that area. On the northeastern edge of the fire, crews are felling hazard trees and preparing the Divide Road for burnout operations later in the week. The southern edge of the fire has two different operations. The first operation is utilizing hand crews and dozers to construct a direct fireline connecting to the old 2004 Campbell Fire scar. The second operation is utilizing hand crews and dozers to construct a contingency fire line around the southern area due to values at risk. The western edge of the fire has not gained significant acreage and continues to smolder around natural barriers. This edge of the fire is unstaffed allowing resources to be utilized on higher priority areas.
Smoke from the western states, and various fires around the state of Colorado will continue to impact this area.
A 17-mile section of the Divide Road remains closed. The closure is from the junction of “Brushy Ridge” National Forest Service Road #408, and the Divide Road NFSR #402, to the “Windy Point” junction NFSR #600 Road and the Divide Road #NFS 402. For questions concerning this closure please call the Grand Valley Ranger District at (970) 242-8211.
There are closures in place for Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service areas affected by the Bull Draw Fire. Closures include BLM roads, trails and lands, National Forest System roads and trails, and some county roads. The public’s patience and understanding is greatly appreciated with these closures. For a map of current BLM and National Forest closure areas, go to https://bit.ly/2vSLNLe.
To sign up for emergency and evacuation notifications in Montrose County go to CodeRed at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BF7ED953CC69. To sign your cell phone up for emergency alerts in Mesa County visit https://member.everbridge.net/index/892807736721759#/login.
Public health info: Periods of moderate to heavy smoke conditions are now found in the area. For a detailed daily air quality summary for all areas of Colorado, visit: https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colorado_summary.aspx.
Information Center: (970) 578-0213 (hours of operation: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.)
For recorded info on area wildfires:
(970) 240-1070 (BLM Southwest Colorado Fire and Aviation Management Unit Information Line)
(970) 874-6602 (GMUG Fire Information) which includes information on Forest Service road closures
Media Information Line: (720) 593-9939
Website: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6059. Email: 2018.BullDrawFire@firenet.gov.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BullDrawFire/.