By Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 3
Current Situation: Firefighters made excellent progress yesterday, and the Road 203 Fire is now 36 percent contained.
On the western and southwestern portions of the fire, firefighters are utilizing UTVs for better access, allowing them to confirm conditions on the ground and continue extinguishing remaining pockets of heat.
Yesterday, firefighters were inserted by helicopter into harder-to-access areas on the south side of the fire, where the Dismal River and bridge weight limitations have previously restricted vehicle access. Firefighters are expected to use similar tactics today to continue extinguishing remaining hotspots and securing the edge of the fire.
Firefighters continue to locate lingering heat along sections of the western and northern dozer line and are working to cool and secure those areas. On the eastern portion of the fire area, crews will continue to patrol the containment line. As crews complete mop-up along the perimeter, additional containment will be reflected on the map.
Firefighters will continue utilizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, to identify hotspots across the fire area. This technology allows crews to quickly locate areas of heat while reducing firefighter exposure to hazards by directing ground resources precisely where extinguishment is needed.
As firefighters continue making progress and containment increases, incident managers are evaluating opportunities to begin gradually right-sizing resources. Complex Incident Management Teams are designed to scale up or down depending on the needs of the incident. As conditions allow, this process will likely lead to the transition to a smaller management structure in the coming days.
Note: The change in reported acreage is due to updated mapping.
Weather & Fire Behavior: Overnight humidity recovery was around 54 percent, which remains lower than typical for this time of year, meaning fuels remain dry. Today, a red flag warning is in effect from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with temperatures expected to reach the upper 60s and relative humidity dropping into the low 30s or possibly the mid-20s if skies clear. Southwest winds this morning at 9–14 mph will shift to the northwest in the afternoon at 17–18 mph, with gusts over 40 mph possible. While winds are expected to decrease midweek, temperatures will continue to warm while fuels will remain very dry and receptive to spotting. Higher winds may return later in the week.
Evacuations and Closures: Bessey Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forest is closed to ensure safety for the public and crews responding to the Road 203 Fire. For further information and to view the official closure, go to: www.fs.usda.gov/r02/nebraska/alerts/road-203-fire-area-closure
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the Road 203 Fire. All unauthorized aircraft (including drones) are prohibited from flying near the fire, as they can interfere with authorized air support operations. IF YOU FLY, WE CAN’T. For more information, visit https://tfr.faa.gov.