Nearly an inch of rain on Saturday helped contain the Hoppe Fire north of McPhee Reservoir in the Dry Creek Recreation Area, fire officials report.
Forest Service Fire Engine Capt. Mike Bryson said the fire peaked at 40 acres over the weekend.
The U.S. Forest Service reported Monday that the fire was contained.
The lightning-sparked fire started Thursday in a remote piñon and ponderosa pine forest 3 miles north of McPhee. Winds of 40 mph pushed the fire north and created 20-foot flames, Bryson said. By Friday, it was at 30 acres.
“We had some extreme fire behavior early on with groups of trees torching,” he said.
Initially, 60 staff fought the fire before it cooled down. Fire equipment is still on scene, he said. On Friday, firefighting resources included two Type 2 hand crews, four engines, a water tender and overhead resources. Fire crews from Cortez, the Upper Pine district and Archuleta County also responded, said Ann Bond, a Forest Service spokeswoman.
Crews stationed along Forest Road 511 and nearby meadows used direct and indirect firefighting tactics to contain the fire within existing roads and natural barriers. Smoke was visible from the Cortez, Dolores and Dove Creek areas.
No road or trail closures are in place at this time, Bond said in a news release.
