Old Victory Fire

Photo courtesy South Metro Fire Rescue

At 15:53 on June 10th, 2018 Bennett-Watkins Fire Rescue, Strasburg Fire Protection District, Sable Altura Fire Rescue, Byers Fire Protection District, Buckley Fire & Emergency Services and Deer Trail Rural Fire Protection District were dispatched to multiple reports of a brush fire at 49100 Old Victory Road in Bennett. A large plume of smoke was already visible as units went en-route. An erratically moving and fast spreading grass fire was moving through the creek bed and prompted the evacuation of Kiowa Creek Airsoft. Firefighters made several attempts at direct attack and withdrew from the grove of cottonwood trees after snags and entire trees started falling. At the peak of the incident a brush truck declared a mayday when flames over took their position, they reported an impeding burn over. At the same 4 homes were threatened to the east of the fire and air support was ordered. The mayday was resolved with no injuries and all apparatus escaping to safety. The incident grew to 4 geographic divisions with 2 lookouts, incident safety, communications and air ops positions were also established. A lead plane and heavy tanker from the U.S. Forest Service departed JeffCo Tanker Base and dropped retardant around 18:30. By 19:30 the MMA reported the fire was 21.3 acres and ground crews achieved 80% containment. All evacuations were lifted and mutual aid resources were released at sunset. Bennett Fire remained on scene through the night monitoring the fire lines and a large tire pile engulfed with flames. At sunrise on June 11th, 2018 Strasburg and Byers responded back to the scene for day 2 mop up operations.

Units on Scene:

Bennett: Chief 91, Chief 92, Bureau 91, Brush Engine 91, Brush 92, Brush 93, Tender 91, Tender 92, & Medic 91

Sable Altura: Battalion Chief 41, Battalion Chief 42, Brush Engine 41 & Engine 41

Strasburg: Brush Engine 81, Brush 81, Tender 81, Medic 81 & Medic 83

Buckley: Tender 8

Byers: Chief 71, Medic 71, Medic 72, Brush 71, Brush Engine 71 & Tender 71

Deer Trail: Brush Engine 31, Brush 31 & Tender 31

Brighton Fire Rescue District: Battalion Chief 51, Brush 54 & Tender 54

Kiowa Fire Protection District: Brush 221

Rattlesnake Fire Protection District: Chief 250, Engine 251 & Engine 252

South Adams County Fire Department: Truck 28 & Brush 28

South Metro Fire Rescue: OEM 3, Battalion Chief 61, Safety 34, PIO 30, Engine 47, Brush 43 & Brush 62