SUN photo/Randi PierceThe following is the 8 p.m. update for the West Division of the West Fork Fire Complex for June 23.
This is the fifth day in a row that the fire area has been under a Red Flag warning, and a Red Flag warning has been issued for tomorrow. This evening the size of the entire complex is 76,000 acres.
West Zone West Fork Fire: The West Zone of the West Fork fire is the portion of the fire burning south of the continental divide. The segment on the south end of the fire that made a run up the backside of Sheep Mountain yesterday turned north today, burning back towards the main body of the fire and reducing the threat to U.S. 160. Firefighters did a structure protection assessment at the Bruce Spruce Campground along West Fork Road today and are looking at establishing a sprinkler system to protect the structures in that area tomorrow.
Windy Pass Fire: The Windy Pass Fire made a run up the Lane Creek drainage into the alpine. It did not cross over into the Wolf Creek Ski Area. Firefighters have been able to hold the Windy Pass Fire within the established indirect containment lines protecting the Wolf Creek Ski Area.
Evacuations: Pre-evacuation notices are in place for West Fork road and along East Fork road. For more information on evacuations please check www.acemergency.org.
Closures: Again, there are multiple road and trail closures; the primary one in the West Zone is Highway 160 from just north of the chain-up area to South Fork. For additional information on road and trail closures affecting the San Juan National Forest go to: http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/sanjuan/alerts-notices.
