I'm holding a first season unit 49 rifle bull tag and this fire is making me a bit nervous.........anybody live near the fire.....updates?? Iv'e looked at inciweb but pretty generic info..
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Weston Pass Fire
- Thread starter packer58
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CODAK
Active Member
Think they are up past 1/3rd contained. I wouldn't worry about it too much, chances are by then it'll be out/close by the time you are up here. If I had that tag I wouldn't hunt where the fire is if it were there or not during first season... Lots of more country in 49
ColoradoV
Very Active Member
- Oct 4, 2011
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- 935
It is 8 miles from Buena Vista burning on the south east side of the unit - they just closed the entire Buffalo Peaks Wilderness as well as much of 4 mile yesterday.. They are flanking the fire to keep it from Trout Creek Pass and away from 285 - 285 is closed right now so all access points from Trout Creek Pass to Fairplay are also closed... So as of now pretty much the entire southern half (that holds elk) of the unit is closed.
Fire is at over 13,000 ac, started by lightning, and once it gets into the wilderness they are giving a containment date of August 15th with it burning much longer and it could, with out rain, burn into archery season if so again the wilderness will be closed.
At the earliest guys who run the fire control are saying first week of August for containment.. For Containment - the fire will burn longer.. If I had a tag at this point it is realistic that the wilderness, again with out rain, could be closed for archery... First rifle is after that but the burn area/wilderness could likely be closed as well. Only time will tell.
If I had a tag I would be in contact w usfs as well as cpw before the tag turn in day to see what they think and what they think will be open to hunt as of now 50% is closed to all activity. Sounds like they may keep the burn area/wilderness closed this hunting season for safety reasons.
If you know the area the fire is south of weston pass burning up rough/tumbling creek and toward salt creek. It has not gotten north of the south fork of the south platte and was moving into spring creek last night. As of last night it has not crossed the divide.
A couple of pics I got of it on 7/3 from 8 miles away..
Fire is at over 13,000 ac, started by lightning, and once it gets into the wilderness they are giving a containment date of August 15th with it burning much longer and it could, with out rain, burn into archery season if so again the wilderness will be closed.
At the earliest guys who run the fire control are saying first week of August for containment.. For Containment - the fire will burn longer.. If I had a tag at this point it is realistic that the wilderness, again with out rain, could be closed for archery... First rifle is after that but the burn area/wilderness could likely be closed as well. Only time will tell.
If I had a tag I would be in contact w usfs as well as cpw before the tag turn in day to see what they think and what they think will be open to hunt as of now 50% is closed to all activity. Sounds like they may keep the burn area/wilderness closed this hunting season for safety reasons.
If you know the area the fire is south of weston pass burning up rough/tumbling creek and toward salt creek. It has not gotten north of the south fork of the south platte and was moving into spring creek last night. As of last night it has not crossed the divide.
A couple of pics I got of it on 7/3 from 8 miles away..
Thanks Jahvea for the detailed report. If the fire stays south I?m not thinking it?s going to be a problem.
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HogsFly
Active Member
Good use of Colorado-deployed air assets...
https://www.google.com/amp/s/kdvr.com/2018/07/07/colorado-based-firefighting-supertanker-deployed-to-california/amp/
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https://www.google.com/amp/s/kdvr.com/2018/07/07/colorado-based-firefighting-supertanker-deployed-to-california/amp/
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Looks like hwy 285 is open again with restrictions. Fire hasn't grown much in the last 24 hrs, still just north of 13,000 acres. That is definitely good news.
CODAK
Active Member
From what I understand the area is still closed to the public.
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joemf1985
New Member
When I talked with the forest service last, they said they intended to keep the area closed until next spring.
JimP
Administrator
When you talk to the Forest Service you need to clarify if it is closed just to vehicles and hikers or just vehicles.
On last years Brian Head fire in Utah they just closed the area to vehicles. If you wanted to hike in you were on your own.
On last years Brian Head fire in Utah they just closed the area to vehicles. If you wanted to hike in you were on your own.
I live just a couple of miles from this fire. The fire burned mostly on private ground and in the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness area. Other than the Wilderness area, the fire did not burn in areas where you would be elk hunting. And there is not vehicle access in the wilderness area. I am not sure if Weston Pass is open, but this is a county road. As far as I know, all other forest service access is open and the fire effected a very small portion of the unit. I hope this helps...
joemf1985
New Member
When I talked with them in September it was to remain closed to all access meaning foot, vehicle, etc. There is updated info on the web you could check but the response I received from the regional director was that it would stay closed between rough and tumble creek and North Salt creek until around June 2019 to any and all access/use. It really hurts access to the buffalo peaks wilderness from the east side with the closures. Weston Pass road was open when I was up in early September. Hopefully they change their minds, but it closed a pretty large swath of fairly elky looking country.
joemf1985
New Member