San Juan National Forest Preparing For Wildfire Season
Release Date: Apr 24, 2015
Contact: Richard Bustamante, San Juan National Forest Fire Management Officer, 970 385-1346
DURANGO-The San Juan National Forest and its partners are gearing up for what may be an active wildfire season. The San Juan’s aviation program includes a National Air Tanker Base and National Type 2 Helicopter, with the Forest supporting a BLM Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) Base. The Durango Interagency Dispatch Center coordinates initial attack on wildfires for the San Juan National Forest, BLM Tres Rios Field Office, Southern Ute Agency and Ute Mountain Ute Agency (Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and Mesa Verde National Park. The Center provides predictive services for fire danger, intelligence and weather, and mobilizes resources throughout the country in support of wildfire, prescribed fire, law enforcement and other risk incidents. The San Juan also hosts the Interagency San Juan Hotshot Crew. In addition to the below Wildfire organization, the San Juan includes separate Prescribed Fire and Fuels Reduction programs on all Districts across the Forest.
Current Status of Resources:
· The Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch Center is fully staffed and will be operating on its summer schedule as of May 3rd seven days a week during normal business hours, with emergency calls fielded “24/7” around the clock.
· The 20-person San Juan Interagency Hot Shot Crewhas been certified for national availability and is operating at full force.
· The Durango Air Tanker Base at La Plata Field is readying for USFS Rocky Mountain Regional Office review on May 15, at which time it will be fully operational. If needed prior to then, the Tanker Base can be opened within two days of notice.
· The 10-person Durango Helitack Crew, which operates with a Type 2 helicopter at the Durango Tanker Base, is readying for USFS Rocky Mountain Regional Office review and certification on May 15, at which time, it will be fully operational.
· The Cortez SEAT Baseis active and operational. This BLM facility is administered under the Durango Air Tanker Base. When fire danger is rated high, aviation resources are prepositioned in Cortez, and an onsite SEAT manager is brought onboard. Prior to this, the Durango Air Tanker Base can operate the Cortez Base within an hour’s notice. A State of Colorado SEAT will soon be stationed at the Cortez Base, then transferred to the Durango Base when it opens.
· San Juan National Forest Ranger Districts(Columbine, Pagosa and Dolores) are currently undergoing annual unit preparedness and capability reviews. The San Juan National Forest’s seasonal fire crews of about 40 firefighters are onboard and conducting preparedness drills at all Districts.
· Dead and live fuel moisture content samplingwill begin at several selected locations on each District by late April/early May. These readings are used to determine fire danger.
San Juan National Forest Fire Organization:
San Juan Public Lands Center, Durango:
- Forest Fire Management Officer
- Interagency Hotshot Crew
- Fire Planner
Durango Air Tanker Base:
- Assistant Forest Fire Management Officer/Unit Aviation Officer
- Tanker Base Manager
- Assistant Tanker Base Manager
- Type 2 National Helicopter Module
Durango Dispatch Center:
- Center Manager (USFS)
- Assistant Center Manager (USFS)
- 2 Dispatchers (1 USFS, 1 BLM)
- Aircraft Dispatcher (Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
Dolores, Columbine and Pagosa Districts:
- Each district has a District Fire Management Officer
- Each district has an Assistant Fire Management Officer/Prescribed Fire Specialist
- The Districts host 5 USFS engines.
- 10-person Wildland Fire Module hand crew (Columbine)
- Initial Attack Squad hand crew (Pagosa)
- Prevention Patrol (Pagosa)
· A Type 2 Initial Attack crew is ready to be pulled from above resources, militia, federal partners and cooperators.
Partners and Coordinators:
· State of Colorado
· Counties
· Local fire departments
· BLM
· BIA
· National Park Service
The above partners provide help in the form of staffing and equipment, as needed. In turn, the San Juan National Forest provides services to these partners. Shared resources include engines, water tenders, two Type 3 helicopters, overhead, and personnel for the USFS Type 2 Initial Attack hand crew and Durango Zone Type 3 Incident Management Team.
San Juan National Forest Fire History:
· Response to wildland fires occurs throughout the year. The primary fire season runs from May through September.
· The National Forest fields much of the Durango Zone Interagency Type 3 Incident Management Team, as needed.
· The National Forest has averaged 90 fires per year over the last 20 years.
· An average of 9,218 acres have burned per year over last 20 years.
· 79% of the fires have been lightning-caused.
· 21% percent have been human-caused.
· 2002, 2012 and 2013 are the most significant fire seasons in recorded history in terms of acres burned and structures lost. These fire seasons coincided with extended drought, poor winter snowpack, and hot dry and windy weather.
2014 Accomplishments:
Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch Center Incident Response*
Unit |
Wildfires |
Smoke Report/False Alarm |
Misc. |
SJNF |
62 |
174 |
851 |
(*does not include responses to incidents on other types of federal lands)
Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch Center Incident Response*
# USFS Wildfires Response |
Type of Fires |
NFS Acres Affected |
46 |
Lightning |
23.2 |
16 |
Human-caused |
1.6 |
62 |
Total |
24.8 |
(*does not include responses to incidents on other types of federal lands)
Air Tanker Base
Activity |
115 Missions |
42,442 Gallons of Retardant Pumped |
Durango Helitack
Activity |
202.7 hours flown |
705 passengers delivered |
273,196 gallons water delivered |
127,850 lbs. cargo delivered |
San Juan Interagency Hotshot Crew Activity – FY ’14 (April – Oct)
Activities |
Days |
Fire Assignments (Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming, California, Oregon) |
96 |
Projects on home unit (SJNF RX burn prep, trails, fencing) |
23 |
Other statistics: · Smallest Fire: one acre (SJNF, CO) · Biggest Fire: 65,000 acres (Klamath NF, CA) · Miles Traveled: 80,000 between 4 vehicles |