Firefighters responded to a small brush fire early Monday northeast of Durango.

The fire was reported at 6:12 a.m. along Florida Road (County Road 240), just east of Edgemont Ranch and County Road 234, where the District 5 fire station is located.

Firefighters suspect a house guest emptied hot ashes from a fireplace and dumped them over a chain-link fence in a grassy area, said Scot Davis, spokesman with the Durango Fire Protection District.

“The wind this morning fluffed that up and turned it into an active fire,” Davis said. “They (firefighters) arrived to find a small creeping brush fire less than 0.1 acres.”

Some morning commuters reported seeing the fire on their way into Durango.

shane@durangoherald.com