The Fishhook Fire, located 1.5 miles north of U.S. Highway 40 just southeast of Steamboat Ski Resort, has spread to roughly 229 acres and is 0% contained as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to Routt National Forest Service Public Affairs Specialist Aaron Voos. 

U.S. Forest Service officials, who are primarily responding to the fire, wrote in a Monday night update on the fire’s official Inciweb report that the fire became active Monday afternoon, “spotting ahead of itself” and was mostly growing south.

The growth has stopped short of Highway 40 on Rabbit Ears Pass, but the fire is now within a mile of the roadway.

Members of the public are warned that Highway 40, which currently remains open, may shut down on Tuesday if fire activity spreads closer to the road. Smoke will likely be visible throughout the area Tuesday.

The fire was reported at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday just hours before the county’s second major wildfire of the season, the Green Ridge Fire, ignited south of Stagecoach Reservoir.

On Tuesday morning, Voos met with representatives from the city of Steamboat Springs, Routt County, Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation and local emergency management. 

“The community of Steamboat has prepared for an event like this, so we’re seeing the fruits of that right now,” said Voos, who said the entities are coordinating information and resources. 

Voos said that the incident management team ordered Monday is set to arrive later Tuesday or early Wednesday, after which point there will be a transition from Forest Service command of the fire to the incident team. 

From there, that team may transition to a more complex incident management team depending on how fire activity and response unfolds over the next few days. 

“That’s the plan, just kind of scaling up the resources that we’re trying to bring into this fire,” said Voos.  

Responding personnel continue to face difficult ground access, wrote Forest Service officials. 

A mapping flight was conducted Monday afternoon, but active fire behavior has made it difficult to confirm exact acreage. A new mapping flight to verify acreage will take place Tuesday. 

An area closure for the surrounding forest is in the works and will be announced soon, but now needs adjustments due to the fire’s growth. 

The cause of the fire has not been identified, said Voos. Ground crews, who are primarily accessing the fire through Bruce’s Trailhead, “have not been able to access the origin.”

Once the origin can be accessed, said Voos, an investigation will need to be conducted to confirm the cause.

Voos told the newspaper Monday afternoon that a Type 1 helicopter out of Operation Sky Hammer, meant primarily for initial response, was utilized Sunday and Monday to fight the Fishhook Fire. 

Forest service officials announced the launch of Operation Sky Hammer, which includes two Sikorsky Skycrane helicopters hosted at the Yampa Valley Regional Airport, in mid-July last year with the aim of providing standby resources for rapid regional firefighting response. 

In addition to Forest Service crews and helicopters, U.S. Wildland Fire Service personnel — including the Boise Helitack crew — and contract resources are all responding to the Fishhook Fire, Voos told the newspaper Monday.

He noted that while fire activity Monday morning and early afternoon was “moderate” with minimal growth, the fire “took off” in the heat of the day Sunday and behaved similarly Monday.

Voos said that while the fire is not currently near any residences, its spread could potentially threaten infrastructure at Steamboat Ski Resort, including power lines and ski lifts/cables. 

Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation Director of Communications Maren Franciosi said the growth of the fire prompted crews to start 41 snowmaking guns to wet the areas around Tomahawk and Spike trails and around Rendezvous Lodge.

The resort has also established its incident command and emergency response team. It consists of members from various divisions including mountain operations, communications, risk and safety, human resources and the leadership team.

The resort is in contact with local, state and federal emergency services and fire officials, said Franciosi, adding that 14 resort employees have been displaced by the fire and are being lodged at the Steamboat Grand.

The resort has also adjusted its day-to-day operations, restricted access to the upper mountain and cancelled its events on Sunday.

While no official road closures or evacuations have been announced for the Fishhook Fire, members of the public should avoid recreating in the Rabbit Ears area, said Routt County Search and Rescue representatives. Campers should be prepared to evacuate if an order is given.

To view evacuation zones in Routt County, visit tinyurl.com/4bss4p3k.

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