Hinsdale County Office of Emergency Management
12 mins ·
10 a.m. March 15, 2019:
On Thursday, March 14, Hinsdale County Sheriff’s Office and Search and Rescue initiated a backcountry welfare check. Search efforts continue as conditions allow.
Hinsdale County is receiving assistance in the search this morning from Wolf Creek Ski Patrol.
Mandatory evacuations remain in place for:
• All of County Road 30 beyond the Highway 149 intersection
• All of County Road 20 beyond the Ice Climb staging wall
• the Monte Queen subdivision
• the 400 block of Bluff Street on the west side
• the damaged home impacted by the Station 11 slide
Limited access for evacuees to their property is permitted ONLY through the Rapid Tag process. Evacuees should go to the Coursey Annex behind the sheriff’s office to find out the required procedures.
Anyone violating the Mandatory evacuation orders will be prosecuted.
Areas of concern are locations where residents should stay inside and minimize outdoor activity. Avoid areas between buildings and slopes. Be prepared to evacuate and continue to monitor conditions.
Areas of concern include:
• All areas of Bluff Street
• Primrose Lane
• Waterdog trail drainage
• Water tower hill (Vine Street)
Residents NOT LOCATED IN AREAS OF CONCERN needing to clear roofs should use proper tools with two people for safety and accountability. Falling snow can cause serious injury or death. Stay off the roof or consider hiring professionals.
Residents should clear snow and ice away from all outdoor vents, chimneys, and flues, thereby reducing the potential for Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Whenever possible, use a broom instead of a shovel in order to not damage your propane system components.
Clear snow and ice from around your propane tank. If the pipes freeze and crack, gas can pool in the snow, causing it to become an ignition source, creating a potentially dangerous situation.
Priorities for today include:
• Incidents as they occur
• Search efforts in the Silver Coin slide region
• Continued debris removal from the Gladiator slide
• Access to the Tristate substation
• Initial assessment of damaged house in Lake City Heights
• Continue clearing access to fire hydrants
The following three environmental conditions may impact avalanche risk:
1) Rain on snow events
2) Rapid warming of 2-3 days of overnight non-freezing temperatures
3) Another large snow event
Hinsdale County is hosting a public meeting at the Armory at 4:00 p.m. today.
Follow this page or www.hinsdalecountycolorado.us for updates.
Sign up for Code Red Emergency Notifications at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BF7ED953CC69.
Current avalanche forecasts and information can be obtained at https://avalanche.state.co.us/
https://www.facebook.com/Hinsdale-County-Office-of-Emergency-Management
