Strong northern gusts pushed the Stoner Mesa Fire further south on western edge of the blaze, pressuring firefighters to protect Colorado Highway 145 to the south and County Road 38 to the west, according to a news release from Tuesday morning.
At over 6,600 acres, the lightning strike-caused fire has grown notably since yesterday, when it was close to 3,600 acres.
The fire is reported to have been pushed along Stoner Creek and climbed some parts of Taylor Mesa, specifically Big Hell and Little Hell Canyons. The fire has also reached Fox Den Creek.
Yesterday, fire crews developed line north of the flames close to the 686 road. Both the Union Interagency Hotshots and the San Juan Hotshots worked handlines to the fire’s east, close to the South Calico Trail.
In the meantime, fire crews continue to take precautions for Rico, which remains in “Ready” status for the possibility of an evacuation. Crews are installing, pumps, hoses and sprinklers in town and along the County Road 38 corridor.
“It is about 4½ miles from Rico, as the crow flies,” Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin said of the fire during a Dolores Board of Trustees meeting Monday night.
“So, not on the ground. It’s still quite a ways,” he said
Plans are underway to build firelines in service of safeguarding County Road 38, spearheaded by the eponymous Structure Group 38.
San Juan Team 8 Operations Chief Brad Pietruszka said that air support may be an option for the county road.
Ahead, Structure Group 145 outlines ways to protect structures in Rico.
A public meeting is planned for tonight at 6 p.m. in the Rico Fire Station. Participants can also attend virtually via the Stoner Mesa Fire Information Facebook page.
Structure Group 145 is also assessing properties along the Highway 145 corridor.
On Taylor Mesa, firefighters are strategizing ways to address spot fires and prevent the fire’s advance east and south. More hand and dozer crews are establishing lines south of the fire.
The news release said that winds will continue to blow southwesterly as the day continues, stating that “shifting winds may drive the fire into significant unburned areas of conifer, dead standing and downed trees.”
But Operations Chief Pietruszka pointed to calmer winds and possible isolated thunderstorms for the week’s forecast ahead.
“Those large, large repeated spread events that we’ve been seeing should be a little mellower moving forward.”
