fomp.org

Active Fire Alert!

There is an actively burning fire just South of Mt. Herman and North of USAFA on the east face of the foothills.

The Monument Helitac crew and as well as other local resources are being dispatched along with other crews are and will be cutting lines and working on perimeter control. The fire is burning in Ponderosa Pine and brush. They will be managing for surpression and containment.

Location: Lat/Long 39.0492/104.9142 S31 T115 R67W
(Google map: http://bit.ly/ritB4V)

The USFS district is actively putting this information out on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/#!/PSICC_NF

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Update: The fire now has a name:

#Beaver Creek Fire-Located just off of Mt. Herman Road North of the AFA. Additional resources ordered-Type 1 Helicopter and Air Supervision

Update:
Monument Helitac just dropped a crew in … but they look tiny up against the plumes of smoke and the acreage.

As you may have heard by now the  Pike & San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron & Comanche National Grasslands have upgraded their fire restrictions going into the holiday weekend. The full text of the ban is below.

Have a great 4th of July weekend!

Thanks
FOMP

From the Pike NF Home Page
http://bit.ly/mOqvtF

Stage 2 Fire Restictions

Release Date: Jun 30, 2011

Contact(s): Barbara Timock

PUEBLO, Colo., June 29, 2011– As of today, Wednesday June 29, a Stage 2 fire restriction Order has been implemented by the Pike & San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron & Comanche National Grasslands (PSICC) in response to the severe wildfire threat in southern Colorado.

The public is prohibited from building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal broiler, or a coal or wood-burning stove, among other fire use activities.

The decision to move to these tighter restrictions is due to the high potential for human-caused fires, extremely dry conditions, and numerous fire starts in the area.

“Reducing the threat for new wildfires is one of the biggest priorities we have right now,” said Ralph Bellah, Fire Prevention Officer for the Pike & San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron & Comanche National Grasslands.
Affected areas include:  Pike National Forest, San Isabel National Forest, Comanche National Grassland, Jefferson, Douglas, Park, El Paso, Teller, Chaffee, Fremont, Huerfano, Saguache, Custer, Las Animas, Baca, Otero and Pueblo Counties in Colorado.
National Forest Service lands in Lake County are exempt from this Order.
Woodcutters should be especially careful in these dry conditions.  Make sure your chainsaw is equipped with an approved spark arrestor; be sure to have an 8 ounce fire extinguisher and a shovel when you are woodcutting.
The following acts are prohibited:

• Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal broiler, or a coal or wood-burning stove.
• Exception:  Petroleum fueled stoves, lanterns, or heating devices providing such devices meet the fire underwriter’s specifications for safety are permitted.
• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three (3) feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material, or in areas posted by authorized Forest Officers.

• Welding, or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame.

• Using explosives requiring fuse blasting caps.

• Operating a chainsaw or other equipment powered by an internal combustion engine for felling, bucking, skidding, road building and woodcutting during industrial operations or fire wood gathering is prohibited from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Violation of these prohibitions is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor, by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for a legal entity other than an individual, or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, or both. Title 16 USC, Section 551.

CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER!
We will probably try and re-schedule this next Tuesday – stay tuned.

FOMP would like to let you know that we will be hosting an unscheduled Trail Work session Tuesday night May 24!

Tuesday May 24 at 6:00 PM – Trail work!

Sometimes we get the bug to really get rolling and that is the case this year. So, tomorrow evening we will be holding an unscheduled Trail Work session.

Since it is unscheduled we will also change our meeting place. We will be working on the upper portion of the trail that descends from Mt. Herman Rd. to Monument Rock / the pond. Please park at or near Mt. Herman Rd. and Red Rocks Dr (map:  http://bit.ly/mvaP43) and walk up to the trail entrance off of Mt. herman Rd.  then down onto the trail and join us. Please grab tools from the green Toyota Tundra that will be parked at the top of the trail and come on down and meet us – since this is an impromptu session we won’t be waiting around for the group. We will be just down the trail about 20 yards to the North from the road.

Thanks and we hope to see you out there soon!
FOMP

FOMP would like to remind you that we will be hosting a Trail Work session Tuesday night May 10!

Tuesday May 10 at 6:00 PM – Trail work!

FOMP is pleased to be holding our first volunteer trail work and tree trimming work session for the 2011 season! It has been a long dry winter and we have lots of work ahead of us this summer so please join us!

Thanks and we hope to see you out there soon!
FOMP