Massive Cameron Peak Fire receives hefty dose of snow, more on the way
by Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan | posted: November 09, 2020
As much as 5 inches of new snow fell on Colorado’s Cameron Peak Fire over the weekend with several more inches expected Monday.
The National Weather Service is calling for 2-6 inches of additional snow on parts of the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires Monday.
The snow will help further quell remaining flames but hamper efforts to monitor the fire and repair damage created by fire lines.
Despite the Cameron Peak Fire remaining at just less than 209,000 acres at 92 percent containment, there are still 554 firefighters and staff assigned to the fire. That's about 1,000 fewer than at the height of the firefighting effort.
"Firefighters remain because we have a lot of moving pieces that need to be managed to put this fire to bed,'' Steve North, operations section chief, said during the Monday morning video update. "It's important to make sure we don't have erosion problems in the fire area and we get it back as much to natural as we we can.’'
The repair work includes 105 miles of bulldozer line, 20 miles of hand line and 72 miles of roads.
Smoldering fire remains near the Colorado State University Mountain Campus and North Fork Trail above Glen Haven. North said crews will remain in those areas until the threat is gone.
"All of the moisture we expect today will pay dividends on whatever hazards exist on those portions of the fire,'' he said. "When it dries out, the ability for the fire to get up and move will be difficult.’'
The Thompson Zone of the East Troublesome Fire in Rocky Mountain National Park remains at 4,889 acres with 48 percent containment.
Parts of Rocky Mountain National Park reopened, as have sections on the Canyon Lakes District of the Roosevelt National Forest, including the northern portion of the Rawah Wilderness, the Roach area and trails north of Colorado Highway 14 in the lower Poudre Canyon. All Roosevelt National Forest land land south of Colorado 14 remains closed. All forest campgrounds also remain closed.