Fire

La Plata County to take tougher approach on fire risk in Forest Lakes

Officials say violations in Unit 3 will face enforcement and possible legal action

March 19, 2026 • Jessica Bowman — Herald Staff Writer

Fire

Controlled burn targets more than 200 acres northwest of Bayfield

Additional prescribed fires scheduled for Dolores, San Miguel counties through May

March 18, 2026 • Elizabeth Pond — Herald Staff Writer

Fire

Crews extinguish small fire northwest of Hermosa

1-acre blaze started on a hillside, moved into a drainage filled with dead, standing trees

March 18, 2026 • Jessica Bowman — Herald Staff Writer

Durango Fire Protection District

U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management conduct pile burns near Durango

Recent snow and rain created safe conditions for burning, fire official says

February 17, 2026 • Scout Edmondson — Herald Staff Writer

Fire

FEMA official overseeing NM fire victims fund received six-figure payout, documents show

Some victims still waiting as Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon director, wife accept more than $500,000

January 30, 2026 • Patrick Lohmann — Source NM

Death and dying

Couple killed in Bayfield-area house fire identified

Jim and Terry Fitzgerald lived off grid and were beloved in La Plata County

January 1, 2026 • Jessica Bowman — Herald Staff Writer

Death and dying

Two found dead in house fire east of Bayfield

Elderly couple became entrapped in their home when fire ignited

December 31, 2025 • Scout Edmondson — Herald Staff Writer

Arboles

Prescribed burns scheduled for Columbine Ranger District

Forest Service plans to conduct three prescribed fires that could begin this month

September 11, 2025 • Scout Edmondson — Herald Staff Writer

Durango

A sign of the times: La Plata County residents thank firefighters for saving homes

172 Fire might be smaller than others, ‘but it was big to us’

August 19, 2025 • Christian Burney — Herald Staff Writer

Fire

Temperatures hit 90s in Southwest Colorado, but it’s not a ‘heat wave’

Warm weather expected through week in Cortez, Durango and Pagosa Springs

August 19, 2025 • Elizabeth Pond — Herald Staff Writer

Colorado

Polis declares statewide disaster emergency due to critical fire weather conditions, fires burning across Western Slope

A column of smoke and flames inside the evacuation zone of the Lee Fire along Highway 13 between Meeker and…

August 15, 2025 • Stina Sieg and Tegan Wendland — Colorado Public Radio

Air quality

Smoke from fires on Western Slope is producing dangerous air quality across much of the state

Most of it is coming from the Lee, Elk and Crosho fires

August 15, 2025 • Tony Gorman — Colorado Public Radio

Durango

La Plata County, city of Durango to issue stage 2 fire restrictions

As wildfires flare up across Western U.S., government agencies in the Four Corners urge residents to be extra cautious

August 7, 2025 • Scout Edmondson — Herald Staff Writer

Fire

Fire danger may worsen as monsoons fail to appear

Dry conditions expected to persist for foreseeable future

August 5, 2025 • Scout Edmondson — Herald Staff Writer

Bears

Black bears reported near firefighters’ camps

CPW helping multiple agencies working to contain Elkhorn Fire

August 5, 2025 • Scout Edmondson — Herald Staff Writer