UPDATE Tuesday, July 27

The closure area for the Muddy Slide Fire has been reduced. It’s because of decreased fire behavior. Forest Roads 270 (County Road 16) and 275 are now open. Those areas still closed are the Morrison-Divide Trail, Lynx Pass Campground and multiple forest roads. The Muddy Slide Fire has not grown in weeks and is still at 4,093 acres and 70% containment.

Muddy Slide Inciweb 

UPDATE Tuesday, July 13  From South Routt County, the Muddy Slide Fire is at 57% containment, and being held at 4,093 acres. It started on Sunday afternoon, June 20, from lightning.

UPDATE Monday, July 5   The Muddy Slide Fire is at 45% containment as of the beginning of the week. The number of acres burned has held at 4,093 so fire activity has been minimal. Crews are securing fire lines where it is safe. Low fire behavior is expected but dry weather and breezy winds later in the week could increase that fire potential. The Muddy Slide Fire is six miles east of Yampa. 286 personnel are working the fire and the cause is under investigation.

UPDATE FRIDAY, JULY 2 at 9 a.m. The mandatory evacuation for the area of Routt County Road 16 from Mile Marker 12 to Highway 134 has been lifted.

 

Friday morning, July 2 The Muddy Slide Fire is at 39% containment as of Thursday evening. It is still at 4,093 acres burned. 383 total personnel are working the fire.

The Routt County Sheriff’s Office is now reporting that nine structures have been destroyed by the fire on two pieces of private property. That’s two outbuildings and seven mobile homes. One primary residence received some  minor damage. Property owners have been notified.

Here is the full press release from Routt County Sheriff Garrett Wiggins:

July 1, 2021
The Routt County Sheriff’s Office, working in conjunction with other agency cooperators, conducted a preliminary damage assessment of the affected structures within the mandatory evacuated area of the Muddy Slide Fire. There were nine (9) structures destroyed by the fire that were located on privately owned property. One (1) outbuilding and seven (7) mobile homes were destroyed located on one individual piece of property.
Located on a second individually owned property, one (1) outbuilding was destroyed totaling 9 structures. One (1) primary residence received minor damage. Property owners have been notified.
Sheriff Garrett Wiggins

 

Thursday, July 1, Forward Operating Base Media Tour

Close to 400 personnel are helping with the Muddy Slide Fire in South Routt County. The fire is at 28% containment and has burned 4,093 acres. Incident Command is at Soroco High School.  The FOB (Forward Operating Base) is near the old ski lift at Stagecoach. This is for critical logistical operations (food unit, ground support, and supply) to be closer to the field to be more efficient and functional. This is where firefighters and personnel receives their food with a special food truck. Tamara Dierks is the Logistics Section Chief Trainee for the fire.

Here’s more from Tamara Dierks, who is the Logistics Section Chief Trainee for the fire. Click here for the Video

Jed Wannarka is a PIO Fire Trainee for the Muddy Slide Fire. He has an update heading into the weekend.

 

UPDATE Thursday, July 1

The fire is 28% contained. 398 personnel are working the fire.

UPDATE Tuesday evening, June 29

The Muddy Slide fire is at 21% containment as of this evening. Because of the amount of dead trees and fuel for the fire, it’s expected to be a long duration incident. But still, the rain last weekend helped, according to Maribeth Pecotte with the BLM.

Fire managers are implementing plans now in preparation for conditions in July and August. That includes help from three hotshot crews to work on a fire line, plus some dozers, logging equipment, and more heavy equipment that has just arrived.

 

UPDATE Sunday morning, June 27 The size of the fire is at 4,150 acres at 0% containment. 242 personnel are working the fire. Some scattered showers on Saturday kept the fire to minimal growth. “Creeping and smoldering was observed in several areas within the fire perimeter while heavy, dead fuels, such as logs, continue to burn. The Muddy Slide Fire is expected to be a long duration fire. It is burning in steep, inaccessible terrain where beetle-killed trees pose a risk to firefighter safety. As the weather gradually warms, fire behavior is likely to become active with more smoke visible throughout the area.”

UPDATE Saturday, June 26

 

 

UPDATE 2 p.m. Friday, June 25 Stagecoach State Park will stay open to all watercraft as fire managers with the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team Blue use aircraft to draw water from the reservoir to put out the Muddy Slide Fire south of the park on Sat., June 26.

“We appreciate our visitors’ patience and support as we assist with this effort,” said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Kris Middledorf. “We will have a protocol in place for boats on the water as waterscooping efforts begin on Stagecoach Reservoir. We ask all visitors and watercraft to be aware of these operations and to provide a safe landing zone for approaching aircraft. All watercraft should move toward the nearest shoreline while aircraft are active above and on the reservoir. If at any time the U.S. Forest Service determines it’s an unsafe situation and they need to clear the lake, we may close the reservoir to watercraft.”

Fire managers will begin using the CL-415 Amphibious Water Scooper, a multi-engine turboprop fixed wing aircraft, to scoop water from Stagecoach Reservoir to fight the Muddy Slide Fire on Saturday.

Stay updated with operations at Stagecoach State Park by following our Facebook page or checking the park status on our website.

 

 

UPDATE 10 p.m. Thursday, June 24 The fire has burned over 4,150 acres. It is 0% contained, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. There are now 122 personnel fighting the fire. Jesse McCarty is the Public Information Officer for the fire. He said the good thing about Thursday was a little bit of rain.

McCarty said the cloud cover and humidity helped, and they’re hoping for more rain today and tomorrow.

The #MuddySlideFire area closure has been expanded on National Forest System Lands managed by the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests & Thunder Basin National Grassland . This order is in effect immediately, and its purpose is to provide for public safety and prevent interference with firefighting operations.

If you have to evacuate…

 

UPDATE 11 a.m. Thursday, June 24 The Muddy Slide fire has burned 4,066 acres and is at 0% containment. 

Resources: 122 personnel, including:
3 crews,
13 engines,
4 Type 1 helicopters,
1 Type 3 helicopter
1 Air Attack (aerial supervision)

The Rocky Mountain Area Type 2 Incident Management Team Blue assumed command of the Muddy Slide Fire at 6 a.m. this morning

Operational plan for today
• On the south side of the fire, firefighters are removing fuels and applying retardant along a powerline easement, to use that area as a fire line.
• On the north side, along County Road 16, a Structure Group is developing a detailed plan to protect structures and implementing point protection.
• On the northwest corner of the fire, hotshot crews are building fire line directly along the edge of the fire to create an anchor point. This will be
used to prevent the fire from moving further north.
• All ground resources are being supported by water and retardant drops from five helicopters.
• Fire managers are scouting for additional opportunities to safely engage the fire where there is the highest probability for success.

Evacuations
• For areas currently under evacuation orders, please go to the Routt County evacuation map at: https://tinyurl.com/MuddySlideEvacMap
Structure damage assessments
• The Routt County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for structure damage assessments. The Sheriff will report that information when confirmed.
County Fire Restrictions
• Stage 2 Fire Restrictions are in effect in Routt County. For details, see https://www.co.routt.co.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=439

National Forest Road Closures and Fire Restrictions
• Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in effect on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland.
• In the Routt National Forest, these roads and trails are closed: Green Ridge Road, Morrison Creek Road, and Morrison Divide Trail.
• For current forest closure and restriction information, see https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/mbr/alertsnotices/?
cid=stelprdb5139680&width=full 

Fire Conditions and Weather
• On Thursday, the fire area is forecast to receive afternoon showers, thunderstorms, and increased moisture, reducing fire behavior in the
short-term, giving firefighters an opportunity to safely engage the fire.

 

UPDATE Thursday morning, June 24 The Muddy Slide Fire has burned 4,056 acres in South Routt County.

UPDATE 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 23  The Muddy Slide Fire has burned over 4,000 acres in the Gore Range in Routt National Forest, about six (air) miles east of Yampa. 122 personnel are fighting the fire.

 

UPDATE 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 23

From Incident Command, acreage is up to about 3,500 acres. They’ll have an exact number this afternoon. 

Rain is in the forecast for Steamboat for the next three days. At incident command for the fire, they’re saying the spot weather forecast shows scattered showers with spotty or nonexistent precipitation over the fire area. The problem the thunderstorms could bring Thursday afternoon are erratic winds, which would fuel the fire even more.

UPDATE  11 a.m. Wednesday, June 23  

The Muddy Slide Fire has burned 1,025 acres and is at 0% containment.

The best thing to fight the fires is rain. Weather reports are showing as much as an 80% chance of rain and thunderstorms today and tonight, with more rain expected to fall tomorrow and Saturday. National Weather Service  Here is what the forecast says:

An Air Quality Health Advisory for Wildfire Smoke is in effect until 9 a.m. tomorrow. From the National Weather Service:

• IMPACTS… Moderate to heavy smoke from the Muddy Slide wildfire in southern Routt County, the Sylvan wildfire in Eagle County, along with several other in-state and out-of-state wildfires, will continue to impact the advisory area Wednesday through Thursday morning. The heaviest smoke impacts will likely occur during overnight and early morning hours in valley locations and in areas in close vicinity to the local wildfires.
• HEALTH INFORMATION… Public Health Recommendations: If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood you may want to remain indoors. This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and the elderly. Consider limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present. Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill. If visibility is less than five miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy.

Check www.PurpleAir.com for air quality as well.

 

UPDATE Tuesday evening, June 22, 2021 10 p.m. There is a mandatory evacuation for the area of Routt County Road 16 from Mile Marker 12 to Highway 134 due to the Muddy Slide Fire.

 

UPDATE Tuesday evening, June 22, 2021 Muddy Slide Update  Inciweb Link  

The Incident Overview says the Muddy Slide has burned 1,025 acres in the Gore Range in Routt National Forest, about six (air) miles east of Yampa.

Eighty firefighters are at the scene, including two fire crews, eight engines, three Type 1 (large) helicopters and one Type 3 (small) helicopter. Additional resources have been ordered, including a Hot Shot crew from Wyoming. They’re on their way.

The Routt County Sheriff’s office has initiated a voluntary evacuation for residents on County Rd 16 between Mile markers 12 and 21. 

A shelter has been set up at the Soroco High School in Oak Creek.

Announcements 

The Hayden Fairgrounds in Hayden is taking livestock and the Routt County Humane Society at 760 Critter Court in Steamboat Springs will take pets but you MUST call 970-879-1090 before heading out to ensure someone will be on site.

The Town of Oak Creek is on a Utility Alert because of the Muddy Slide Fire. Emergency Responders say electric service could be interrupted from the fire. If so, electricity in Oak Creek could be down for about 30 minutes while the town switches its electric load to another provider.