Several wildfires across Colorado in the past few weeks have residents and emergency responders anxious about the possibility of a long, hot, burning spring and summer.
“This is the earliest my team has been mobilized in nine years,” said Rowdy Muir, the federal fire manager assigned to the Indian Gulch fire west of Golden. “If we don’t get some moisture in the spring, I think we’re going to see a lot of fires in the Rocky Mountain region.”
High winds and low humidity along the Front Range have created the perfect environment for wildfires, with the Eastern Plains in the midst of a moderate drought. Jan. 9 was the last day the area recorded more than a quarter-inch of precipitation.
“We’re on edge, and we’re very nervous about it,” said Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. “There are a couple of concerns, one of which is that we are in the off-season, so there is not as much aid available. We don’t have as much air support or crews and resources to call on.”
Pelle said his other main worry is high winds, such as the 60-mph gusts that buffeted Boulder County on Tuesday. In addition to spreading fires, winds can ground vital air support.
“We’re getting more alerts of high winds and humidity under 10 percent, which could be disastrous,” Pelle said. “The thing we hope to control right now is the ignition. There’s fuel and there’s wind, and we can’t control that. What we can control is stopping a fire from being ignited.”
Colorado is in the first phase of the fire season, when widespread snow is no longer on the ground but vegetation has not had a chance to become green. Recent cold fronts have brought high winds but no moisture, which means the Denver area is still a danger zone.
“Until we get some moisture and green up, we will see more fires,” said Steve Segin of the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center. “We just kind of have to endure it until we get some moisture.”
There is a chance of precipitation this weekend, but Bob Glancy of the National Weather Service said it was too early to tell whether it will be enough to tamp down fire conditions.
“We probably won’t see green- up for another month,” said Glancy, adding that this may end up as one of the driest Marches in Colorado history. “With these dry, windy conditions, there is always a fire risk.”
Pelle said Boulder County is on high alert for wildfires, such as the one that burned 622 acres in Lefthand Canyon this month.
“In particular, mountain residents are on hyper-alert and are calling us at the first sign of trouble,” Pelle said.
The causes of the most recent fires aren’t yet clear, but they seem to have been started by humans. Residents are urged to be extremely careful with fire: Do not discard cigarettes from moving cars, think before doing anything that could cause a spark in the backcountry and avoid outdoor burning.
Segin said residents in high-risk areas can take precautionary steps to save their homes from fire, including installing fire-resistant roofing and watching where they store firewood and other flammable objects.
Mitchell Byars: 303-954-1698 or mbyars@denverpost.com
