While the Black Ridge Fire was burning south of Durango on Wednesday evening, two other wildfires were burning in La Plata County at the same time, including two acres on County Road 523 south of Bayfield, near Saul’s Creek.
“The fire started on private property and quickly spread into Forest Service land,” the Upper Pine Fire Protection District wrote on the agency’s Facebook page. “Personnel from the Columbine Forest Service district responded as well, along with personnel from Los Pinos Fire. Crews were able to get a relatively quick handle on the fire, keeping it to just under two acres. Forest service personnel will continue mop up and to monitor the fire.
The fire was believed to be human caused and is under investigation, said Ann Bond, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service. The other fire in La Plata County was on CR 101 west of Marvel.
Area fire crews and dispatchers are dealing with multiple fire calls this time of year, Bond said, adding that Durango Interagency Dispatch has sent resources to 12 wildland fires in July, along with conducting 32 smoke checks.
The Black Ridge Fire burned about 78 acres of piñon and juniper trees by Thursday. The Southern Ute Tribe Bureau of Indian Affairs Fire Management Team is the lead agency on the Black Ridge Fire, with Los Pinos and Durango Fire protection districts, the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office and Office of Emergency Management providing assistance.
The Forest Service had a fire investigator and several members of the Durango Incident Management Team, an inter-agency fire team, working at the Black Ridge Fire on Thursday, Bond said. Residents in the area were put on pre-evacuation notice when the fire broke out but were able to stay in their homes on Wednesday night.
A burn ban is in effect in La Plata County south of U.S. Highway 160. “The conditions are ripe for a wildfire to spread quickly,” said Upper Pine Chief Bruce Evans. “With the wet spring, there’s a lot of extra ground fuels and the grass is now yellow and dry.” A small grass fire can quickly run uphill, get into oak brush, then start burning a canopy of trees, “and it can take a couple million dollars to suppress it,” he added.
Upper Pine still has wildland firefighter positions available for this summer. Applications are being accepted at the district’s administration building.
