SNOWSTORM GIVES FIREFIGHTING CREWS NEEDED RELIEF

Storm brings “a great day of rest” for crews but hinders ability to assess house damage

Snow and wintry weather in Colorado have aided firefighters battling the two biggest wildfires in Colorado history.

The Cameron Peak fire, burning in Larimer County and the biggest fire in state history, has burned 208,663 acres, about 326 square miles, and is 64% contained.

The East Troublesome fire, the second- largest fire in state history burning just north of Granby and into Rocky Mountain National Park, has burned 192,560 acres, almost 301 square miles, and is 15% contained.

Both wildfires, hit Sunday and overnight by snow and frigidly cold weather, resulted in no fire growth on Monday and that the moisture will likely calm the fires for at least a couple days and perhaps into next week, fire officials said.

At a Monday evening briefing on the East Troublesome fire, Noel Livingston, the fire incident commander, said he drove around fire areas during the day and “saw no active fire.”

There was some smoldering, but little to no fire, Livingston said.

“From a firefighting perspective, it was a day of rest,” he said.

Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin said at the Monday evening briefing that structure assessment teams worked on Monday, but there was some difficulty getting back into some areas because of the snow.

Schroetlin didn’t release any new numbers on homes destroyed. He did say officials hope to notify about 90% of the property owners who have lost a home about the loss by the end of the week.

“Right now there is no accurate number we feel comfortable releasing,” Schroetlin said.

The sheriff said deputies on Monday were occupied by people who are circumventing neighborhood checkpoints and taking photos of destroyed homes and posting such photos on social media.

“Unacceptable,” Schroetlin said of the development. “Our community deserves respect and to be treated correctly.”

Lower elevations of the East Troublesome fire received abut 6 inches of snow Sunday into Monday morning and higher elevations received about a foot of much- needed snow, Livingston said.

“We are really happy to see the snow and we are going to take advantage of it,” he said.

On Sunday and Monday, many firefighters were able to catch a much- needed rest. Fire engines have a hard time traveling back roads that are snow packed and temperatures in the single digits and teens impacted firefighters

efforts and raised safety concerns.

Primary focus on the East Troublesome fire on Monday will be to “get people back into their homes,” Livingston said.

The fire’s “footprint” is not expected to grow in the short term, but “it is not going to put the fire out” in the short run, Livingston said.

As October gives way to November and more wintry weather arises, “Mother Nature is going to put this fire out,” Livingston said.

On the Cameron Peak fire, up to 2 feet of snow fell in some areas, said operations section chief Paul Delmerico at a Monday morning briefing.

It snowed across the entire fire area, “which is a huge plus for all of the firefighters who have been engaged for the past 76 days,” Delmerico said.

The snowstorm limited the fire Sunday and overnight, with no growth of the massive perimeter. Fire officials expected little to no growth on Monday.

Wind chills, frigid weather and road conditions are a concern for firefighters. Fire crews will monitor the fire and work in areas “where access is safe,” according to a morning update.

“Precipitation received over the fire the past two days will significantly diminish fire behavior in the short term but may not be enough to end fire season for the year,” fire officials said. Monday’s weather remained very cold, below freezing, with frigid temperatures overnight, but the extended forecast calls for a drying trend with seasonal temperatures, above freezing, during the day, and no precipitation.

For now, in the aftermath of the snowstorm, “I do think we are in a very good spot,” Delmerico said.