Fires Burning near Wolf Creek Pass
A Type 1 helicopter fights the West Fork Fire on Monday.
Lyle St. Goddard of the Blackfeet Nation from Browning, Mont., collects GPS coordinates for a contingency line to help control the Windy Pass Fire near Wolf Creek Pass. St. Goddard is superintendent of the Chief Mountain Hot Shots, a Native American crew from Browning, that just came from the Royal Gorge Fire. St. Goddard said, “We don’t want the fire to cross the Continental Divide into the Rio Grande.” The cliffs behind St. Goddard are a key natural barrier for the contingency line.
Air support for the Windy Pass Fire flies over some of the structures on top of Wolf Creek Ski Resort. This helicopter is gathering information about the fire to relay to firefighters on the ground.
Smoke rises to meet clouds at the West Fork Fire.
George Thomas of the Blackfeet Nation from Browning, Mont., scouts a contingency line to help control the Windy Pass Fire near Wolf Creek Pass. Thomas is part of the Chief Mountain Hot Shots, a Native American crew from Browning. The crew just came from the Royal Gorge Fire.
Members of the Scorpions, a Type 2 IA hand crew from Portorville, Calif., clear dead trees atop of Wolf Creek Ski Resort. These efforts are aimed at containing the Windy Pass Fire which is just south of Wolf Creek Ski Resort.
Steve Till, a public information officer, posts information about the West Fork Fire and Windy Pass Fire for those traveling over Wolf Creek Pass.
Mike Cachero, with the U.S. Forest Service, looks at an expanse of dead trees with members of the Pueblo West and Fairmont Fire District. The group is standing next to a steel box marked “EXPLOSIVES” on the top of the Wolf Creek Ski Resort. Explosives are used for avalanche control in the winter. Behind the group is the Windy Pass Fire near Wolf Creek Pass. Cachero said, “Our job her is to prep the area and clean up around structures.” The firefighters on the Windy Pass Fire are from Pueblo West, Fairmont, Los Pinos, The Scorpions Type 2 hand crew, Chief Mountain Hot Shots, and the Pike Hot Shots
Mike Seymor stands watch next to a steel box marked “EXPLOSIVES” on the top of the Wolf Creek Ski Resort. Below Seymour is the Windy Pass Fire near Wolf Creek Pass.
