The Stoner Mesa Fire grew to 3,100 acres by Saturday evening, prompting the San Juan National Forest Dolores Ranger District to enact closures around the blaze and begin developing a structure protection plan.
The fire, which was sparked by lightning and remains 0% contained, had doubled in size to 2,156 acres on Friday.
Located about 20 miles northeast of Dolores and 8 miles west of Rico, the fire is burning in steep terrain with mixed conifers and heavy deadfall, limiting access and endangering firefighters. It is expected to spread eastward.
Because of “extreme fire behavior” and hazardous ground conditions for firefighters, fire managers have adopted an indirect suppression strategy for the blaze.
The area from the Montezuma/Dolores county line to Cayton Campground along the Colorado Highway 145 corridor is under “ready” evacuation status. If evacuations become necessary, residents will be notified via Dolores County Emergency Alerts.
Fire crews made progress Friday while working to build containment lines, according to a news release from the San Juan National Forest Team 8. The lines, along with roads and natural features, are part of a containment strategy. The San Juan Hotshots scouted east of the fire to identify safe zones for engagement if conditions improve.
Meanwhile, teams began installing pumps, hoses and sprinkler systems around properties along County Road 38 as a precaution to protect homes and cabins. Other engines and crews have been assigned to bolster firefighting efforts.
Team 8 Operations Chief Brian Austin on Saturday said crews would focus on the County Road 38 and Colorado Highway 145 corridor and implement control lines to ensure the safety of firefighters.
He said one team, Division Alpha, would use existing roads and trails with dozers to put in a line along the mesa tops and some “stopovers” in Stoner Creek.
“We're confident the change in terrain and these control features should limit spread back towards … the 38 corridor. That's a lot easier than trying to go direct in this topography that puts our firefighters at risk and has a lot of lot of time obligations without much result.”
Austin said Division Tango connected dozer lines with road systems.
“We're going to continue that to the east and northeast to try to have a fire line,” he said. “In the event that this fire does push in this southeastern direction, we'll have something in place to work off of.”
The Union Interagency Hotshots joined the San Juan Hotshots to scout and establish control locations using roads, trails, rock outcroppings and creeks. A structure protection specialist was expected in Rico on Saturday to develop a protection plan.
Officials emphasized that the actions are precautionary and part of a strategy to stay ahead of the fire’s potential spread.
Saturday and Sunday were declared Red flag days because of “hot, dry and windy weather.” Smoke is expected to impact local communities during the evening hours.
The Dolores Ranger District said closures are in place to protect firefighters and the public. They will remain in effect until further notice.
Roads: NFS Roads 545, 201, 547, 555, 692, 592, 545J (Taylor Mesa), 686 and 875 (Stoner Mesa)
Trails: NFS Trails 738 (Loading Pen), 201, 211 (Calico), 645 (Priest Gulch), 624 (Stoner Mesa), 739 (West Twin Springs), 741 (East Twin Springs), 625 (Stoner Creek), 620 (Eagle Peak), 639 (Johnny Bull), 646 (East Fall Creek), 640 (West Fall Creek)
Violations of the closure order are considered a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by fines up to $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, imprisonment for up to six months or both.
The fire also forced new road and area closures Thursday as weather conditions heightened fear the fire would spread, the U.S. Forest Service said.
Thursday road closures include Stoner Mesa Road (Forest Service Road 686), Taylor Mesa Road (FSR 545), all branching roads and the Mavreeso, Burro Bridge and West Dolores campgrounds. No closures were anticipated for Colorado Highway 145 or County Road 38.
On Wednesday, the San Juan National Forest Dolores Ranger District collaborated with the San Juan Type 3 Incident Management Team in developing a suppression plan. Helicopter flights were conducted to gain more insight into the fire and potential suppression, and others scouted for “control features” like roads, trails, rock outcroppings, creeks and more. Fire retardant drops were halted for “minimal effectiveness.”
“The Stoner Mesa Fire is going to be with us for a while,” Dolores District Ranger Nicholas Mustoe said via the Forest Service on Wednesday. “The forest type and rugged terrain limit what tactics can be effective. We will take every available action to limit the footprint of the Stoner Mesa Fire when and where we can be successful.”
The fire is reportedly to have been caused by lightning, and was first reported on July 28. Firefighters responded to the scene, and 7,000 gallons of water were dropped on the fire by helicopters.
Hazards like lightening, dead trees and others led to the decision for the fire to be patrolled by aircraft. No smoke was visible until Tuesday, when the fire “experienced significant growth.”
Updates on the fire can be found by visiting the Stoner Mesa Fire website at www.inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cosjf-stoner-mesa-fire.
The Stoner Mesa Fire is one of three fires that burned in Montezuma and Dolores counties last week. The Waters Canyon Fire, burning on the Ute Mountain Ute edge of Mesa Verde National Park, has burned about 200 acres. North of Cahone, the Sharp Canyon Fire burned more than 400 acres, but that fire is predicted to be contained by this weekend.
