If you or someone close to you has a disability or requires special assistance, please call the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at 303-271-0211. In an emergency, always dial 911.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Next Citizen Briefing is Scheduled for 9AM Friday Morning

Next citizen briefing is scheduled for 9AM Friday morning at the West Jefferson Middle School.

Media Briefing for Friday Morning 3/30/12: 7:30AM

Media Briefing for Friday morning, 3/30/12, is scheduled for 7:30 AM at Conifer High School.

Lower North Fork Fire Donation Request

Press Release on Behalf of the Mountain Resource Center


Specific donations are being requested to assist the families impacted by the Lower North Fork Fire. 100% of the items donated will go directly to the families impacted and displaced by the fire.


Mountain Resource Center, a local community center in Conifer, located at 11030 Kitty Dr. has agreed to accept the following items Monday-Friday 9-5 and this Saturday and Sunday from 9-2:



  • Cash or checks- checks may be mailed to Mountain Resource Center, P.O. Box 425 Conifer, Co 80433

  • Financial donations may also be done at http://www.mrcco.org/
    Gift cards in small denominations of $15-25.00 (Target, Wal-Mart, local grocery stores and gas stations)

  • Pantry food items that are non-perishable

  • Springtime seasonal new or near new clothing - folded and placed in boxes

Those wishing to donate furniture or appliances are asked to contact the center directly at 303-838-7552 or email info@mrcco.org. Mountain Resource Center is not able to accept furniture at this time but will coordinate requests with community members wishing to donate.

Resources for Families Returning to their Properties

Jefferson County Public Health has provided the following resources for the community as they return to their properties:

Message from the family of Ann Appel: 3/29/12 1815

The following is a statement that the family of Ann Appel has issued:


We are urgently searching for Ann, and appreciate your prayers for her safety. We are deeply grateful for all of those helping in the search. Thank you for your concern and for respecting our privacy during this difficult time.


Please continue to pray.


The Appel family

Lower North Fork Fire Update 3/29/12 1800:

The Lower North Fork Fire is now 45% Contained.

A total of 3.5 miles of containment line was cut by fire crews today.

There was no perimeter growth today. The fire acreage is steady at 4,140.

The current standing evacuation includes 180 homes. These homes are located in the following neighborhoods: Kuehster, Critchell, and Maxwell Hill.

All local home owners with confirmed damaged properties have been escorted to their property by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. There are two homeowners who have not made it back to their property because they are coming from out of the area.

The Urban Search and Rescue Team has continued to search for the missing person, Ann Appel. They have covered over 219 acres during their search.

The fire behavior that was observed today was primarily creeping ground fire with some areas of smoldering in heavier fuels.

The challenge for the next 24 hours is managing the very technical and difficult terrain. The challenge for the coming weekend will be the potential for higher winds. Contingency plans are in place in the event that the wind pushes the fire over existing and future containment lines.

The Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA) Power company has worked to reestablish power to previously evacuated homes.

Continue to follow www.jeffcosheriff1.blogspot.com for additional updates.




Lower North Fork Fire Update 3/29/12 1600:

Current Verified list of Structures Damaged by the North Fork Fire
  1. 17000 Elk Ridge Road
  2. 13637 Kuehster Road
  3. 13657 Kuehster Road
  4. 13801 Kuehster Road
  5. 13807 Kuehster Road
  6. 14419 Eagle Vista Drive
  7. 14409 Eagle Vista Drive
  8. 16950 Elk Ridge Road
  9. 17020 Elk Ridge Road
  10. 17050 Elk Ridge Road
  11. 17051 Elk Ridge Road
  12. 13647 Kuehster Road
  13. 18656 Rocky Top Trail
  14. 18516 Rocky Top Trail
  15. 18776 Rocky Top Trail
  16. 18726 Rocky Top Trail
  17. 18006 Rocky Top Trail
  18. 13097 Arrowhead Springs Trail
  19. 13697 Arrowhead Springs Trail
  20. 13707 Arrowhead Springs Trail
  21. 17254 Arrowhead Springs Trail
  22. 17223 Arrowhead Springs Trail
  23. 14141 Broadview Circle
  24. 14201 Broadview Circle
  25. 17986 Rocky Top Trail

Current Interactive Map

View Lower North Fork Wildfire in a larger map

Media Briefing Scheduled for 3/29/12 4:00 PM

The next media briefing is scheduled for 3/29/12 4:00 PM at Conifer High School.

Colorado State Forest Service Contact

Residents with homes within the Lower North Fork Fire region who would like to provide input to the Colorado State Forest Servce (CSFS) are asked to contact CSFS at the following email address: csfs_lnffcomments@mail.colostate.edu

Media Tour Scheduled for 3/29/12 at 2:15 PM:

A media tour of the fire area will be departing from the Conifer High School lower parking lot at approximately 2:15 PM.

Updated Lower North Fork Fire Map Showing Road Status

Click on the Link to see an Updated Lower North Fork Fire Map
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_3vHjXvTmbCV2hiYm1ZRUJTR21mdnFGUXBCS1BXQQ/edit

The map has road access status as of 3/29/12 at Noon.

Lower North Fork Fire Public Announcement: 3/29/12 1200:

Lower North Fork Fire Update
Great Basin 2 Incident Management Team
Incident Commander: Rich Harvey
For Immediate Release: March 29, 2012 11:00a.m.
(Daily from 7:00a.m. to 10:00 p.m.)
Website Info: http://jeffcosheriff1.blogspot.com/
Contact: (303) 271-4910 (Emergency Operations Center)


Lower North Fork Fire Public Announcement

Some Residents Allowed to Return to Their Homes

Conifer, Colorado March 29, 2012 . . . With improved conditions and significant progress made in line construction thanks to the efforts of firefighters, some of the residents evacuated from their homes due to the Lower North Fork Fire will be allowed to return to their residences beginning at 11:00 a.m. today. Residents are required to show I.D. as proof of residency at check points.

The following roads will be opened today beginning at 11:00 a.m. for residents only:

· Foxton Road from Highway 285 to Reynolds Ranch Open Space Park parking lot.
· Pleasant Park Road from Oehlmann Park Road to Critchell Road
· High Grade Road from Maxwell Hill Road to Critchell Road.
· West Platte River Road from Foxton Road to South Platte Hotel.

Returning residents are urged to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice if fire conditions change. Notification of immediate evacuation will be signaled by a Sheriff Deputy’s siren from the road. Any belongings residents would want to take, if evacuated again, must be readied upon return. If a siren is heard, residents must evacuate immediately. Parking on the road is not allowed until the incident has ended. This is to provide access for emergency and firefighting vehicles and for everyone’s safety. Residents are encouraged to drive slow, 10 miles per hour, to allow for firefighters activity and vehicle safety.

The following roads remain closed at this time for public and firefighter safety:

· Foxton Road from West Platte River Road to Reynold’s Ranch Open Space parking lot.
· Kuehster Road remains closed south from Critchell Road
· Maxwell Hill remains closed from South Deer Creek

We appreciate your patience and cooperation with the firefighting efforts.
###

Press Briefing at Noon: Conifer High School Parking Lot

Jacki Kelley is holding a press conference in the Conifer High School parking lot at noon. She will be speaking about the Incident Management Team’s repopulation plan.

Governor Hickenlooper Visit to Lower North Fork Fire: 3/29/12 1045:

Governor Hickenlooper has received an update with the Lower North Fork Fire Incident Command Staff. He plans to survey the fire using a Colorado Air National Guard Helicopter and then meet with affected citizens at the West Jefferson Middle School.

PIO available at Staples Parking Lot: Highway 285 and Kitty Road

An Incident Management Team Public Information Officer is available at the Staples Parking Lot located at at highway 285 and Kitty Road. Residents can come to this location to get additional information.


View Lower North Fork Wildfire in a larger map

Current Weather Conditions: 3/29/12 0820:

Here are the Current Weather Conditions for the Lower North Fork Fire Area:

Humidity: 24 %
Wind Speed: NW 3 MPH
Barometer: 29.97" (1011.4 mb)
Dewpoint: 15 °F (-9 °C)
Visibility: 10.00 mi.

Lower North Fork Fire Update 3/28/12 0750:

Containment around the Lower North Fork Fire remains at 15%.

As of 6:00 AM this morning the Incident Command has transitioned to the Great Basin Type 1 Incident Management Team (IMT). The Jefferson County Type 3 will continue to work with the Type 1 team.

Today firefighters will be working to gain further containment around the fire while also suppressing the spot fires inside the perimeter.

The two Heavy Air Tankers have been redeployed to fight another fire in South Dakota. The Colorado Air National Guard will continue to use four Blackhawks to dump water on the fire.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s office will continue to escort homeowners, whose structures we have confirmed were damaged by the fire, into the fire perimeter throughout the day.

Three citizen briefings are scheduled for today at the West Jefferson Middle School. The times are 9:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 5:00 PM.

Updated Lower North Fork Fire Map

This map shows the fire perimeter as of 3/28/2012 at 2140.


View Lower North Fork Wildfire in a larger map