The Salt Fire, ignited by lightning, consumed 4500 acres in southeast Otero and southwest Bent Counties. The fire burned on the north and south sides of the Purgatoire River.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.
The Salt Fire, ignited by lightning, consumed 4500 acres in southeast Otero and southwest Bent Counties. The fire burned on the north and south sides of the Purgatoire River. Hand crews and bulldozer operators, numbering around 145, worked to build fire lines. No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 2, 3:11 AM MST, 9 hours 49 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 411 AM MDT THU JUN 2 2011 .SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) ...MAIN CONCERN IS FIRE WX...SOME GUSTY THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE OVER THE FAR E PLAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING... CURRENTLY...PRECIPITATION WHICH OCCURRED OVER PARTS OF THE PLAINS WED EVENING HAS MOVED INTO KS AT THIS HOUR (3 AM). DEWPOINTS REMAINED GENERALLY IN THE 50S ACROSS MOST OF THE PLAINS AND TEMP REMAINED ON THE MILD SIDE....60S AND 70S. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DIVIDE...MUCH DRIER AIR WAS NOTED WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS/TEENS. TODAY... FIRE WX AND HOT TEMPERATURES ARE THE MAIN CONCERN. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SHIFT TO A MORE SSW DIRECTION AFTER SUNRISE AND BEGIN TO INCREASE. THE HIGH DEWPOINTS WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS...AND CONDITIONS SHOULD BECOME CRITICAL BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS RH VALUES GO BELOW 15% NEARLY ALL AREAS. REGIONS WHICH WILL BE LAST TO DRY OUT WILL BE THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS. EXPECT SURFACE WINDS IN THE 20-30 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS INTO THE 40S ALL AREAS TODAY. SOME VERY HIGH BASED THUNDER WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON OVER THE FAR EAST PLAINS. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE LITTLE IF ANY RAIN BUT WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE VERY GUSTY WINDS. A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES COULD CAUSE A BRUSH FIRE OR TWO. OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE REGION IT WILL REMAIN DRY AND WINDY. TONIGHT... ANY THUNDER THAT DEVELOPS WILL EITHER DISSIPATE OR MOVE INTO KS BY EARLY EVENING. A WEAK BOUNDARY WILL MOVE INTO THE PLAINS FROM THE NORTHWEST LATER TONIGHT. \/HODANISH .LONG TERM... (FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) FRIDAY...LOW UPPER LOW OVER THE PACIFIC NW GATHERS STRENGTH AND DROPS DOWN ALONG THE WEST COAST ON FRIDAY...WHILE THE TAIL END OF THE UPPER JET IS FORECAST TO EXIT THE AREA BY LATE FRI. ANOTHER HOT AND DRY DAY IS EXPECTED WITH SOME MOISTURE TRYING TO CREEP BACK INTO THE E PLAINS IN THE AFTERNOON AS MODELS INDICATE SOME SORT OF SFC FRONT MOVES INTO EASTERN CO. THE PREDOMINANT FLOW ALOFT ACROSS THE STATE WILL CONTINUE TO BE SW AND GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND SLV ONCE AGAIN. WINDS ACROSS THE E PLAINS WILL BE A BIT MORE PROBLEMATIC AND WILL DEPEND ON TIMING OF THE SFC BOUNDARY. GIVEN HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS CONTINUING...AND THE THREAT OF PERHAPS STRONGER WINDS...WENT AHEAD AND ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER WATCH FOR MUCH OF THE ARE FOR LATE FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH THE EVENING. THE DAY CREW WILL HAVE A COUPLE MORE MODEL RUNS TO LOOK AT AND SEE IF THE STRONGER WINDS WILL MATERIALIZE. SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...THE UPPER LOW IS FORECAST TO SIT OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST OVER THE WEEKEND...WHILE A RIDGE OF HI PRES BUILDS INTO THE REGION FROM THE SE. THIS SHOULD WEAKEN THE WINDS...BUT HOT AND ESSENTIALLY DRY CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE. LONGER RANGE MODELS ARE INDICATING THAT SOME MOISTURE WILL SNEAK IN UNDER THE RIDGE AND PROVIDE FOR A DAILY CHANCE OF AFTN AND EVE THUNDERSTORMS...AND PERHAPS SLIGHTLY HIGHER RELATIVE HUMIDITY LEVELS. THE UPPER LOW STARTS TO MAKE A MOVE ONSHORE AND INTO NV ON MONDAY. TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...THE UPPER RIDGE WEAKENS AND PUSHES BACK TO THE SE...WHILE THE UPPER LOW TO THE WEST OF COLORADO EJECTS UP ACROSS ID AND THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. STRONG SW FLOW ALOFT RETURNS TO THE 4 CORNERS REGION...AND MAX TEMPS IN THE 90S RETURNS TO THE FORECAST AREA. AT THE PRESENT TIME...IT DOES NOT LOOK ALL THAT PROMISING FOR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OR ANY BENEFICAL RAIN TUE AND WED. MOST LIKELY A RETURN OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS...EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO THROUGH THE NEXT 7 DAYS...WILL ACCELERATE THE ONGOING SNOWMELT ACROSS THE MTS. MOUNTAIN RIVERS AND STREAMS WILL BE SWELLING AND RISING...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE ARKANSAS RIVER ABOVE PUEBLO AND ALONG THE ARKANSAS RIVER TRIBUTARIES ABOVE SALIDA. MOORE && .HYDROLOGY IT IS GOING TO BE WARM OVER THE MTNS TODAY...AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IT IS LIKELY GOING TO REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING ACROSS THE MTNS TONIGHT...SO EXPECT CONTINUED RAPID SNOW MELT NEXT 24H. FLOOD STATEMENTS ARE CURRENTLY BEING ISSUED FOR THE ARKANSAS UP NEAR LEADVILLE. && .FIRE WX WIDESPREAD SSW WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS INTO THE 40 MPH RANGE WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE ENTIRE DISTRICT TODAY. RH VALUES WILL BE IN THE 10-15% RANGE WITH LOWER VALUES NOTED ALONG THE GREATER I-25 CORRIDOR REGION. SOME AREAS OF THE PLAINS DID RECEIVE RAIN BUT IT WAS RATHER SPARSE. RADAR ESTIMATES FROM KPUX WERE WAY OVERDONE. EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR WILL LIKELY OCCUR TODAY. DO NOT BURN TODAY. && .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS ANTICIPATED NEXT 24 HOURS AT KCOS...KPUB AND KALS. GUSTY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL OCCUR AT THE TAF SITES FROM LATE THIS MORNING INTO THIS EVENING. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ221-222-224>237. FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING FOR COZ221-222-224>233-235-237. && 34/27
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 1154 AM MDT THU JUN 2 2011 COZ058>089-093>099-031800- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT- LEADVILLE VICINITY/LAKE COUNTY BELOW 11000 FT- EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FT- CENTRAL CHAFFEE COUNTY BELOW 9000 FT- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST CHAFFEE COUNTY ABOVE 9000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY EAST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY/EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS BELOW 10000 FT- EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- DEL NORTE VICINITY/NORTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- ALAMOSA VICINITY/CENTRAL SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- SOUTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 8500 AND 11000 FT- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500 FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FEET- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000 FT- WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500 FT/PIKES PEAK BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT-PIKES PEAK ABOVE 11000 FT- CANON CITY VICINITY/EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY- NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/MONUMENT RIDGE/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT- COLORADO SPRINGS VICINITY/SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7400 FT-PUEBLO AND VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FT- WALSENBURG VICINITY/UPPER HUERFANO RIVER BASIN BELOW 7500 FT- TRINIDAD VICINITY/WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY BELOW 7500 FT- CROWLEY COUNTY-LA JUNTA VICINITY/OTERO COUNTY- EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-WESTERN KIOWA COUNTY- EASTERN KIOWA COUNTY-LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY- LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY- 1154 AM MDT THU JUN 2 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. THESE STRONG WINDS...COMBINED WITH LOW HUMIDITY VALUES AT OR BELOW 15 PERCENT AND EXISTING DRY VEGETATION...WILL CREATE EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR ACROSS MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND ALL OF SOUTHEAST COLORADO THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. EXTREME CAUTION SHOULD BE USED TO AVOID ANY FIRE STARTS TODAY. ONE OR TWO HIGH BASED THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE OVER THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE WIND GUSTS TO AROUND 60 MPH AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY ISOLATED MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHERN COLORADO EACH DAY. PRIMARY STORM THREATS WILL BE GUSTY WINDS AND HAZARDOUS LIGHTNING...ALTHOUGH THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL TO AROUND 1 INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS AROUND 60 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE...MAINLY OVER THE FAR SOUTHEAST PLAINS...OVER THE WEEKEND. WITH THE CONTINUING DRY CONDITIONS...VERY WARM TEMPERATURES...LOW HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY WINDS AT TIMES...NEAR CRITICAL TO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY...THEN AGAIN ON TUESDAY. IN ADDITION...RECENT WARM TEMPERATURES ARE ACCELERATING THE SNOW MELT IN THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS...AND THIS IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER THE WEEKEND AND INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. HIGH STREAM FLOWS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG MANY COLORADO RIVERS AND STREAMS DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT MEET REPORTING CRITERIA FOR SPOTTERS MAY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHEAST PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. 23/23
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, June 2011
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 328789, 328790.