Only hours after the Blue Ridge Fire started on Friday afternoon, evacuation and pre-evacuation notices for 900 homes in the Forest Lakes subdivision were lifted as fire crews brought the blaze to 90% containment, according to a news release from La Plata County.
The Blue Ridge Fire sprang to life at 1:49 p.m. Friday in the forest just to the east of the subdivision. Upper Pine Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Greg French said fire crews had a rapid response and were well-equipped to handle the blaze. As of Saturday morning, containment remained at 90% and investigators were on the scene to look into what caused the fire, he said.
“We worked with our mutual aid partners – Forest Service, state and also air resources,” he said Saturday. “Currently, I think, (the fire is) at about 11 acres, and we’re working it again this morning with our mutual aid partners, mopping up and continuing to extinguish hot spots and just trying to get after it before the weather gets bad.”
According to French and a news release from La Plata County, crews were able to encircle the fire with dozer, hand and hose lines, preventing it from spreading further. Now, they are working to fully extinguish it.
French said the blaze started on private property in Unit Three of Forest Lakes, and the terrain and composition of the forest made fighting it difficult.
“It was very difficult topography,” he said. “Heavily treed, lots of oak – yeah, it was pretty difficult.”
French said multiple mutual aid partners, as well as helicopters and air tankers, responded to the blaze and assisted Los Pinos in fighting the fire. Additionally, he said, the community response helped responders get in and out quickly, and adhered to evacuation notices.
“We’re very, very thankful and appreciative to our mutual aid partners in the area,” he said. “We really appreciate people paying attention to the evacuation notices and paying attention to directions from law enforcement and firefighters in the area, because it’s a challenging spot with so many homes. The community did a good job up there, too.”
Stage 2 fire restrictions are in place as fire danger remains high and monsoons fail to appear.
For more information about bans or for wildfire information, visit www.readylaplata.org.
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
