Update On The Aspen Fire – August 5

HUNTINGTON LAKE – The Aspen Fire has now consumed 20,797 acres and is 75% contained. The cost to fight the fire to date is reported at $23.4 million.

Today on the Aspen Fire, crews continued to make good progress with indirect and direct attack fire line construction.

Crews also utilized firing operations to further strengthen these lines, in an effort to gain containment. Firefighters are mopping up 100 to 200 feet along the fires perimeter, where it is safe to do so.

The fire remained most active to the south, near Stump Springs Road and to the east, along and into the Kaiser Wilderness areas.

Resource advisors are working with suppression crews on rehabilitation and fire suppression repair efforts of fire lines within the fire’s perimeter. The objective of fire suppression repair is to prevent the use of fire lines as trails which may cause confusion with correct route finding.

Repair also helps minimize erosion and sediment movement on and around the fire line. As crews continue to gain containment of the Aspen Fire, rehabilitation will become a high priority.

Smoke from the Aspen Fire continues to impact air quality in local communities. Crews will utilize firing operations over the next few days to assist with enforcing containment lines.

Firing operations are actions taken to remove unburned fuels between the active fire line and the contingency lines which fire crews have been creating over the past several days. The operation will put additional smoke into the atmosphere.

Fire crews are instructed to accomplish their mission while being sensitive to environmental and cultural resources in and around the fire area.

The Forest Service reiterates that firefighter and public safety remains the highest priority.