Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 3
Casey Cheesbrough, Jay Miller, Incident Commanders
Fire Information: Phone: 303-219-6551 (9am – 7pm), Email: 2026.road203@firenet.gov
Size: 35,814 | Containment: 0% | Location: Halsey, NE |
Resources: 2 Aircraft, 24 Engines, 5 Heavy Equipment | Total Personnel: 160
Current Situation: Operations were limited yesterday due to cold weather conditions; however, fire managers were able to assess the fire perimeter and evaluate current conditions. While there is snow on the ground in some areas, heat is still present in the duff, and creeping fire behavior has been observed within the fire perimeter. Groups of cedar trees in some areas of the fire are also still retaining heat.
Yesterday, firefighters began utilizing UAS (drones) equipped with infrared technology to identify hotspots. This information is relayed to crews on the ground to quickly access and efficiently extinguish those areas of heat. There will be two UAS platforms in use today to continue this direct extinguishment strategy.
Crews will continue improving access to several areas of the fire using UTVs, allowing firefighters to focus efforts on cooling remaining hotspots and securing the edge of the fire.
Note: The change in reported acreage above is due to updated mapping.
Weather & Fire Behavior: Temperatures today are expected to reach the mid 30s with minimum relative humidity around 21%. Northwest winds of 10-15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph may still create near-critical fire weather conditions due to the combination of wind and low humidity.
By Tuesday, a warming trend will begin over the area as temperatures are forecast to warm significantly, with highs near the upper 60s. Relative humidity is expected to remain around 33 percent, with light south winds shifting to the west in the afternoon.Temperatures are expected to continue rising through the week, with relative humidity in the 20-30% range. Although winds are expected to moderate, warming temperatures and dry fuels could lead to more active fire behavior later in the week.
Evacuations and Closures: Bessey Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forest is closed to ensure safety for the public and crews responding to the Road 203 Fire. For further information and to view the official closure, go to: www.fs.usda.gov/r02/nebraska/alerts/road-203-fire-area-closure
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the Road 203 Fire. All unauthorized aircraft (including drones) are prohibited from flying near the fire, as they can interfere with authorized air support operations. IF YOU FLY, WE CAN’T. For more information, visit https://tfr.faa.gov.
