Single Publication

Saint Charles Fire Update 

Saturday, October 28, 2023 – 9:00 a.m. 

Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 

Dan Dallas, Incident Commander  

Information Phone: 970-628-0130 

Email: 2023.saintcharles@firenet.gov  

Information Staffing Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

Special Note:  An interactive map has been created for the Saint Charles Fire.  The map includes the current fire perimeter and pre-evacuation areas.  There is a search bar that allows users to enter an address and then a ruler that can be used to measure the distance between points.  The map can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/SaintCharlesFireInteractiveMap. 

Current Situation: The Saint Charles Fire is currently 438 acres and 10% contained.  Good progress was made yesterday in completing containment lines on the north and the contingency line to the south of the fire.  Due to diminished fire activity at night and the incoming winter weather, last night was the last full night shift. 

Division A: Containment line has been completed on the north end of the fire to the Division A/T break.  Firefighters will continue to secure and mop up the fireline to work towards full containment on this division.  This will include mopping up any hot spots that are found near the fireline and removing any burning material that could fall or roll across the line.   

Division T:  Yesterday firefighters were able to hike into this area from the end of an old two track road within the fire perimeter.  Using a combination of direct and indirect fireline to connect natural barriers, fireline has been completed from the Division A/T break south to the eastern most point of the fire in Bear Canyon.  Today firefighters will hike back into the area and continue constructing fireline to the south. 

Division D: Firefighters continue to make progress holding and improve existing firelines.  Yesterday firefighters were able to access the southern perimeter by hiking south from the end of an old two track road within the fire to begin line construction along the fire perimeter working westward.  Today firefighters will return to this area to continue working to tie existing fireline together.  Lines will need to be strengthened and improved before full containment is achieved. 

Division K: The contingency line has been completed to the Division T break.  Mastication and chipping of brush that was removed along the roads and dozer line will occur in the coming days as weather conditions allow. 

Structure Protection:  The Structure Protection group continued to assess and reassess structures around the fire vicinity yesterday.  In anticipation of the cold weather predicted for the next few days, firefighters will work to winterize pumps and engines to prevent damage from freezing temperatures. 

Weather,  Fuels, and Fire Behavior:  

Gusty southwesterly winds are expected today with temperatures reaching the 40s before a cold front moves through the area early this afternoon. The front will bring a blast of winter weather to the area tonight into Sunday with a substantial drop in temperatures.  As much as 4 – 7 inches of snow could fall over the fire area on Sunday.  

Evacuations, Closures, and Fire Restrictions: 

Simonson Meadows in Pueblo County and Aspen Acres, Tara J, and the San Isabel area in Custer County remain on pre-evacuation notice. To sign up for emergency alerts please visit https://www.custercounty-co.gov/ (Custer County) or https://www.pueblosheriff.com/242/Emergency-Telephone-Notification (Pueblo County). 

Pueblo County implemented a burn ban on October 24, 2023.  More information can be found at https://www.pueblosheriff.com/162/Emergency-Management. Custer County initiated Stage 1 fire restrictions on October 24, 2023.  More information can be found at https://www.custercounty-co.gov/. 

An Area Closure is in place for the fire area on the San Carlos Ranger District of the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands (PSICC). For additional information, visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/psicc/alerts-notices. 

Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones. If you fly, we can’t.  For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org. 

Fire Statistics: 

Size:  438 acres  

Containment: 10% 

Total Personnel: 387 

Location: 7 Miles SW of Beulah, CO 

Reported: October 14, 2023 

Cause: lightning 

For More Information: 

  Information Phone: 970-628-0130 (public) 

                                  719-470-0459 (media) 

  Email: 2023.saintcharles@firenet.gov 

  InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/copsf-saint-charles-fire 

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/SaintCharlesFire 

  YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@SaintCharlesFireInformation 

  Interactive Map:  https://tinyurl.com/SaintCharlesFireInteractiveMap 

Text Alerts: Text SaintCharlesFire to 77295. Text and data rates apply.