The number of people working on the Halfway Hill Fire downsized yesterday as fire crews were released to help other fires in the region. Tuesday’s fire activity was minimal. Additional firefighting resources will reach their 14-day assignment limit soon and be released to return home for time off before they are again available to assist with new or existing fires. Team 4 also anticipates being released this weekend, as the complexity of the fire is reduced to a level that can be managed by local fire managers.
As the need for suppression work declines, some rehabilitation work is beginning on the fire area. Crews have been working to remove hazard trees weakened by the fire along Sand Rock Ridge Road and to chip trees and shrubs that were cut along roadways during the creation of a fire break. Heavy equipment is also being used to repair sections of full controlled fire perimeter, where containment lines are no longer necessary to keep in place. Where the fire is still active, firefighters will continue today applying backburning techniques to strengthen the fireline between the main fire and the Chalk Creek Road. The eastern portion of the fire is in rugged terrain that neither safe nor effective to attack directly. Firefighters continue to patrol and monitor this area, prepared to take action if and when the fire approaches the desired containment lines. Prolonged drought conditions, beetle-killed trees, and very hot and dry weather will all continue to play a role with fire behavior and outcomes. Crews will be on alert for the high temperatures, extremely low humidity, and an unstable air mass that are predicted Thursday – Saturday. This may lead to the declaration of a Red Flag Warning – an indicator of weather conditions that could lead to extreme fire behavior and rapid fire growth on any new or existing fires – by the National Weather Service if conditions reach certain criteria. Closure: While fire activity and behavior have lessened, the Halfway Hill Fire closure order is still in place and the public is reminded to pay attention to increased traffic in the Fillmore area. The closure order, including a full description of the trails, roads, and areas closed, along with maps are available at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/8215/.
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