Fires that started Saturday in the San Juan National Forest northeast of Pleasant View had grown to more than 10,000 acres with zero containment as of Sunday, forcing further evacuations and requiring structure protection amid extreme fire and weather conditions.
The Ferris Fire and Far Draw Fire, which merged, and the Doe Canyon Fire were collectively being referred to as the Ferris Fire. The fires, which are thought to have been caused by dry lightening, started in the Glade area near Narraguinnep Canyon, north of Dolores and on San Juan National Forest.
Evacuation orders were issued Sunday for private land inholdings north of Glade Ranches. The Glade Ranch subdivision were in “Go” status. The evacuation area did not include Disappointment Road.
According to the Forest Service, the Glade Ranch subdivision is fully evacuated.
The intersection of County Road 16 and County Road S in Dolores County were restricted to all travelers.
Saturday’s evacuation orders covered Lone Dome Road, Bradfield Bridge Campground and Forest Service Road 521 up to McPhee Dam. The closure of Bradfield Bridge Campground included Forest Service Road 504 south to the base of McPhee Dam, and a safety sweep was conducted on roads 521 and 504, Lorena Williams, spokeswoman with the San Juan National Forest, said on Saturday.
Temporary shelter for evacuees was being provided at the Pleasant View Fire Station, 15235 Road CC.
Direct firefighting efforts were severely limited due to extreme fire behavior and weather conditions, according to a news release from the U.S. Forest Service on Sunday. High winds were expected to challenge both ground and aviation crews throughout the day.
Air tankers dropped about a dozen loads of fire retardant on the southeast flank Saturday, but the fire crossed Forest Service Roads 514 and 493 overnight. Multiple engines, hand crews, air attack support and a Type 1 helicopter were assigned to the fire, and additional resources were on order. A local Type 3 incident management team, San Juan Team 8, was in command.
Sunday’s release noted values at risk, including homes and private property near the head of the fire, and forest infrastructure such as the Benchmark Lookout Tower. Forest Service officials were working with cattle permittees and timber operators to relocate animals and equipment in the fire’s path.
Firefighters were focusing on protecting lives, homes and structures on private lands ahead of the fire. Crews and a dozer were building a direct fire line where feasible and actively scouting for anchor points on the west side of the Doe Canyon Fire.
Aircraft was being utilized as conditions allow.
No recreational closures were in place for the broader San Juan National Forest, but visitors were asked to avoid the fire area. A temporary flight restriction was being implemented over the fire, barring private aircraft and drones.
Information on air quality is available through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's smoke resources at colosmokeoutlook.blogspot.com. The National Weather Service issued a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” for red flag conditions.
This is a developing story. Check back with www.the-journal.com for updates.
bduran@the-journal.com
