Full containment of the might not happen until the fall as officials battling the blaze dig in for what’s expected to be a long fight.
Commanders now estimate the wildfire’s containment .
“It kind of goes back to what we’ve been dealing with this since the start of this fire,” said Aaron Voos, a spokesman for the incident command. “Direct suppression just isn’t an option in a lot of areas. Due to the indirect approach we are using on a lot of the areas, it could be smoldering up until we get some sort of snow late in the fall or early winter.”
The 13,642-acre blaze is being fought by 236 firefighters and is expected to increase in activity Thursday and into the weekend as conditions dry out after a period of scattered overnight rainfall.
Voos said depending on the weather over the next few months, fire managers will have a better idea of how long the blaze will burn. Late summer monsoon moisture could aid their efforts while a dry and windy rest of July would spell more problems.
“We’re just being careful when we’re telling people how long this could possibly go,” he explained. “It really could go for awhile just based on the fuels that it’s in and some of the terrain.”
Two dozers and a harvester work to clear a fire line on the . Photo by Seth Eacret
— Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG (@FS_MBRTB)
Structure protection remains a priority, officials say, and crews have been working to mitigate the areas around homes several miles from the fire lines.
On Thursday, a Type III incident team — an extended attack force — is expected to take over management of the blaze, which is estimated at 5 percent containment.
A transfer of command took place this morning on the as of 6 a.m.
— Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG (@FS_MBRTB)
The cause of the fire, which ignited June 19 and has consumed federal and private land, remains unknown. Evacuation orders remain in effect.