Wildfire

Fire

Slash pile burns sends smoke into Durango area

of Land Management burning piles Wednesday and Thursday

January 10, 2024 • Reuben M. Schafir — Herald Staff Writer

Durango Fire Protection District

Firefighters to burn slash piles near Durango city limits

Residents asked to avoid calling 911 to report smoke

December 12, 2023 • Shane Benjamin — Herald Staff Writer

Fire

Working with ‘good fire’

managers in Southwest Colorado are changing they way they respond to wildfires

December 4, 2023 • Reuben M. Schafir — Herald Staff Writer

Local News

Mancos Conservation District to receive $2.48 million federal grant

grant, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is a ‘game-changer’ for the small district

November 29, 2023 • Reuben M. Schafir — Herald Staff Writer

Colorado 3rd Congressional District

Boebert touts legislative wins that Biden vows to veto

Bills, amendments and funding requests pass House

November 10, 2023 • Weslan Hansen — Herald Staff Writer

Colorado state government

Durango Fire Marshal to shape wildfire building code on state board

Hanks was nominated to serve as chair of the Wildfire Resiliency Code Board

October 28, 2023 • Reuben M. Schafir — Herald Staff Writer

Colorado

Colorado’s latest tool to fight forest fires: Mushrooms

Infusing slash and wood chips on vast forest floors with mycelium could dampen fuel and improve soil quality, enthusiastic researchers…

October 26, 2023 • Michael Booth — The Colorado Sun

Fire

Two wildfires – one active, one stagnant – burn near Pagosa Springs

blaze caused by lightning; cause of other fire undetermined

October 24, 2023 • Reuben M. Schafir — Herald Staff Writer

Colorado

Colorado Senators push for permanent pay increase for federal firefighters

Michael Bennet, John Hickenlooper joined 11 other senators in urging action on pay increases for wildland federal firefighters as temporary…

September 28, 2023 • Weslan Hansen — Herald Staff Writer

Dolores

Prescribed burns on 27,600 acres of San Juan National Forest scheduled for this fall

Conditions appear to be ‘really promising’

September 5, 2023 • Reuben M. Schafir — Herald Staff Writer

Archuleta County

Fire restrictions lifted across Southwest Colorado

Montezuma County restrictions remain in place

August 31, 2023 • Herald Staff Report

Durango Fire Protection District

Where there’s ‘smoke,’ there’s not always fire

Durango firefighters say ‘smoke scares’ not uncommon this time of year

August 22, 2023 • Shane Benjamin — Herald Staff Writer

Local News

Tropical storm pushes wildfire smoke into Southwest Colorado

Monsoonal moisture expected to return midweek

August 21, 2023 • Shane Benjamin — Herald Staff Writer

416 Fire

Playing with fire (mitigation)

wildfire risk, impending state codes have HOAs and homeowners leaning into mitigation

August 21, 2023 • Reuben M. Schafir — Herald Staff Writer

Bayfield

Dry Lake fire 47% contained after fuel reduction

started as a quarter-acre fire grew to 1,400 acres within fire lines

August 7, 2023 • Reuben M. Schafir — Herald Staff Writer

Bayfield

Firefighters seek to use Dry Lake fire for fuels reduction

Lightning started fire Sunday east of Bayfield; smoke was visible from U.S. Highway 160

August 3, 2023 • Reuben M. Schafir — Herald Staff Writer

Bayfield

Small wildfire breaks out east of Bayfield

Lake fire is burning a 2019 prescribed burn zone, facilitating containment

August 2, 2023 • Reuben M. Schafir — Herald Staff Writer

Gunnison County

Wildfire north of Gunnison grows to 1,427 acres

ignited last week from lightning bolt in a remote area

August 1, 2023 • Shane Benjamin — Herald Staff Writer

Drought

Record heat after wet spring elevates Colorado wildfire risk

National organization predicts fire danger will be ‘above normal’ for Southwest Colorado in August

July 20, 2023 • Chase Woodruff — Colorado Newsline

Fire

La Plata County implements fire restrictions

1 rules take effect Monday morning

July 7, 2023 • Herald Staff Report

Archuleta County

Chris Mountain Fire, west of Pagosa Springs, nearly 50% contained

Firefighters focus on burnouts, establishing fire lines

July 7, 2023 • Leah Veress — Herald Staff Writer

Archuleta County

Hot weather, strong winds likely to drive wildfire this week west of Pagosa Springs

Mountain Fire grew to 459 acres, zero percent contained as of Monday

July 4, 2023 • Georgia Landeryou — Herald Staff Writer

Campground

How to have a backcountry campfire in Colorado

short answer is: Don’t. But if you do, here are some expert tips

June 30, 2023 • Parker Yamasaki — The Colorado Sun

Archuleta County

Wildfire west of Pagosa Springs prompts evacuations

number of homes threatened, none lost to 120-acre blaze

June 29, 2023 • Reuben M. Schafir — Herald Staff Writer