The Elkhorn Fire north of Durango has grown to 314 acres, with spot fires igniting in the Bear Creek drainage, according to Monday morning briefings from managers.
According to a news release on the Elkhorn Fire Information Facebook page, the fire is moving northeast, away from homes and infrastructure. Forty-one homes were evacuated Saturday, but additional evacuations have been ordered.
The release stated there is increasing potential for monsoon moisture in the coming days, which could aid fire crews in containing the blaze.
Lorena Williams, spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service, said the spot fires in Bear Creek are in a remote, difficult-to-reach location but do not pose an immediate threat to homes or infrastructure. She said firefighters, helicopters and air tankers will continue working Monday to prevent the fire from spreading.
“We’re making great progress and sticking with the critical task of protecting homes and infrastructure,” Williams said. “The fire getting into Bear Creek drainage may make it a longer-term incident, but there are no critical values at risk. So we’re still looking like we’re on track.”
Williams said the spot fires were caused by embers from trees that “torched,” meaning the fire reached the tree’s crown. Embers from those trees were blown into Bear Creek, starting small fires that could spread into the surrounding vegetation, she said.
“We will be using aircraft to try and check those spot fires, because Bear Creek drainage is extremely challenging terrain,” Williams said. “It's a difficult area where that’s not necessarily a place that we want to insert firefighters, and so we’re going to be focused on aircraft.”
The area is steep and hard to navigate on foot, Williams said. Sending firefighters into Bear Creek is dangerous because of dense vegetation, steep terrain and its remote location. A fire there could quickly get out of control, she said, which makes using aircraft the safer option.
La Plata County issued a statement reminding the public that flying drones near the fire is illegal. Interfering with firefighting operations on public lands could result in fines up to $20,000 and 12 months in prison, the release said.
The Elkhorn Fire started when a house caught fire, which then spread to the surrounding hillside Saturday afternoon. The dry foliage, mixed with high temperatures and wind, allowed the fire to spread rapidly. Local fire agencies responded immediately to the blaze.
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
