Lighter winds and quieter fire behavior during the weekend allowed firefighters to increase containment of the East Canyon Fire to 79% by Sunday evening with the fire growing only 5 acres in 24 hours, but firefighters continue to battle three other blazes in Southwest Colorado.
The fire, located about 2 miles southeast of Mancos, had burned through 2,905 acres as of 8 a.m. New areas of containment include the northwest side that faces U.S. Highway 160 and includes two homes in the Elk Springs subdivision as well as most of the eastern side of the fire along the Cherry Creek Road.
No closures of U.S. Highway 160 occurred Sunday, and travelers can check road conditions online at www.COTrip.org or by calling 511 or (303) 639-1111.
The hot, dry weather shows no relief in sight, and on Sunday afternoon a red flag warning about critical weather conditions conducive to the rapid spread of wildfire was issued for Southwest Colorado from 1 p.m. Monday through 8 p.m. Monday by the National Weather Service.
For Sunday, two hand crews have been moved to the northeast side of the fire perimeter to help with extinguishing hot spots and with securing firelines. Dense Gambel oak and brush in this area slowed containment efforts, according to news release from the Rock Mountain Type 2 Fire Incident Team.
Several hand crews are expected to work on the south and southwest sides of the fire. Crews are pulling large logs near the perimeter to more interior locations to allow them to burn out. The public should expect to see smoke within the fire perimeter until significant rain arrives.
Aircraft remain available to support firefighters as needed.
Critical fire weather conditions remain with high temperatures and lower relative humidity dominating the area.
On Saturday, firefighters completed chipping operations along Cherry Creek Road (County Road 105).
Eight engines patrolled the area through the night, and all observed fire activity occurred within the fire perimeter.
The lightning-started fire, which began June 14 on private land that spread to Bureau of Land Management parcels, has 402 firefighters, including 12 20-person hot-shot crews assigned to the blaze.
No structures have been lost.
Equipment assigned to the fire includes, 23 engines and six pieces of heavy equipment, according to a news release issued Sunday morning by the Rocky Mountain Blue Type 2 Fire Incident Team in charge of fighting the blaze.
The news release added that air operations out of the U.S. Forest Service’s Durango Airtanker Base at the Durango-La Plata County Airport are available as needed.
Temporary flight restrictions are in place around the fire banning flights of drones that could interfere with fixed-wing and helicopter tankers battling the blaze.
Sand Creek FireThe Sand Creek Fire, burning in the Piedra Special Management Area in the Pagosa Ranger District, was listed at 50 acres on Sunday morning, but a special team using drones was flying over the fire and expected to have a more accurate estimate of the size of the blaze Sunday evening, said Andy Lyon, public information officer for the Type 3 fire Incident Team managing the blaze.
The fire is burning in a remote area within the burn scare of the Little Sand Fire of 2012, and that has left many standing dead trees and many dead trees on the ground to fuel the fire, Lyon said.
Currently a light helicopter capable of carrying a 100-gallon water bucket and a larger heavy helicopter, a Chinook, capable of carrying a heavier load are battling the blaze.
Fire officials are considering seeking assistance from additional aerial resources available at the Durango Airtanker Base, Lyon said.
A Rocky Mountain Type 2 Fire Incident Team, led by Troy Hagan, was ordered to take over the Sand Creek Fire on Sunday afternoon, according to the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center, which helps coordinate timely responses and coordination of resources to wildland fires in Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas.
A Type 3 Incident Team, led by Brad Pietruszka, is currently managing the fire.
Because the fire is burning in a special management area, permission is required before retardant can be dropped on the fire, he said.
Three hot-shot 20-person crews are working the fire, joining 40 people already assigned to the blaze.
Lyon said weather Sunday, like Saturday was hot and dry.
The lightning-sparked fire began June 15 and is burning 21 miles northwest of Pagosa Springs, about 5 air miles north of the Piedra River and 2½ miles south of Mosca Road in rough terrain unreachable by vehicles.
Smoke can be seen from Bayfield and Pagosa Springs, Lyon said.
Six Shooter FireThe Six Shooter Fire is now 100% contained, according to a news release issued by Lindsay Box, spokeswoman with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.
Crews spent Saturday strengthening control lines and mopping up the interior. Fire personnel will remain watching the blaze through Monday, Box said in a news release.
The Six Shooter Fire, reported on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation on June 16, was sparked by lightning and is burning on in Six Shooter Canyon.
The Durango Interagency Fire Incident Management Type 3 Team managed the Six Shooter Fire. Multiple agencies assisted fully extinguishing the blaze.
A total of 110 personnel worked the fire. Ground resources included fire personnel, two crews of firefighters, seven fire engines and one bulldozer.
Oil and gas operations are expected to be able to resume normal operations this week, Box said.
Stage 1 fire restrictions were enacted for Southern Ute Indian Reservation on May 11, and remain in place.
Loading Pen FireThe Loading Pen Fire is still listed at 42 acres and 90% contained on Sunday, said Esther Godsend, spokeswoman with the San Juan National Forest.
“It’s well-contained, and we have been able to release resources to other fires and for any new starts,” Godsend said.
On Saturday, management of the fire was returned to the Dolores Ranger District from a Type 3 Fire Incident Management Team, Godsend said.
“You can still see some smoke from (Colorado) Highway 145, but it’s smoldering activity that’s well-contained within firelines,” she said.
Smoke was minimal Sunday, but it might get a bit thicker as winds pick up in the afternoon, she said.
About 40 firefighters remain on scene to mop up and put out hot spots within the fire’s perimeter, she said.
The lightning-sparked fire is burning in mixed conifer – Douglas fir, ponderosa, spruce – and aspen.
parmijo@durangoherald