West Fork & Papoose Fires
June 20 - July 2, 2013
This fire began in the wilderness near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, then spread parallel to Highway 160 to threaten South Fork. I was part of a strike team of engines that evacuated people living along Highway 160 east of Wolf Creek Ski area, including the Fun Valley, Lonesome Dove, and Moon Valley RV parks. We observed fire behavior even the 30-year old timers had never seen. It spotted 1.5 miles up and over the continental divide above treeline. As hot gasses in the smoke mixed with the atmosphere, it would spontaneously ignite once enough oxygen mixed in. South Fork was evacuated shortly after and was spared only because the winds shifted to the North, placing the Creede area in the crosshairs next. When that happened, my engine was grouped into a small task force that performed initial attack on the flank of the fire that directly threatened the RC Guest Ranch.
