At least three wildfires broke out Saturday afternoon in La Plata County – near Vallecito Reservoir, south of the Durango-La Plata County Airport and north of Durango in the Animas Valley.
Two of the fires prompted evacuations: the Rim Road Fire south of the airport and the Elkhorn Fire in the Missionary Ridge area.
The Elkhorn Fire was putting up a massive column of smoke Saturday evening. It began as a house fire and quickly spread to the wildand, said Randy Black, chief of the Durango Fire Protect District.
Air attack crews estimated the blaze at 120 acres as of 7:20 p.m. A helicopter and large air tankers were working the west side of the fire to protect nearby residences, Black said.
The northeast section of the Elkhorn subdivision was under a mandatory evacuation, and the lower section was under a pre-evacuation notice, Black said. The Celadon area was also under pre-evacuation notice.
No additional information was immediately available Saturday night, including how many homes were under evacuation or pre-evacuation orders.
An evacuation shelter was set up at Escalante Middle School, 141 Baker Lane.
The Rim Road Fire, south of the airport, had grown to 50 acres as of Saturday evening.
The Los Pinos Fire Protection District asked residents in the 3700 block of County Road 318 and all residents on Lenyx Lane to evacuate, according to a Code Red Alert issued at 4:09 p.m.
One of those residents was Kathi Arnold, who owns a log home on 240 acres in the 2300 block of County Road 318.
Arnold said she was home about 3:30 p.m. when a neighbor called to report smoke behind her house. Within minutes, she said, flames appeared at the top of a ridge and began advancing toward her home.
“As soon as I saw the fire and the smoke, I started throwing stuff in the car,” Arnold said. “The cops came up about that time and said, ‘I just want to let you know we’re going to put you on evacuation.’”
The fire grew from 3 acres to 50 acres within 1½ hours, according to unofficial estimates.
Arnold said she lives in a fire-prone area that hasn’t received significant rainfall in many years.
“I've always had my important things in a bag to grab and go,” she said. “I just threw some clothes that I didn't want to lose in my suitcase and things I was going to need immediately and pretty much just filled my car and left.”
Not knowing if or when she could return home was difficult, she said. Several friends reached out offering her a place to stay.
She said firefighters were everything they could to protect her home.
“They’ve been here the whole time,” she said.
Smoke was visible southeast of Durango and south of the airport.
Wolfwood Refuge, a wolf sanctuary near Ignacio, began preparing to evacuate staff and 61 rescue animals.
“It’s only a couple of miles from me, and so it’s up on the ridge behind me, toward the oil fields,” said Paula Woerner, with Wolfwood. “We can see the flames when we go up there.”
She said an aerial firefighting plane had been deployed.
The fire was first reported about 3 p.m. Saturday, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
La Plata Electric Association was monitoring the wildfires in the event that power needed to be shutoff to protect the grid, residents and emergency workers.
The Rim Road Fire was threatening LPEA infrastructure that serves 793 meters. One meter was de-energized near in the area of the Elkhorn Fire.
“LPEA is taking all necessary precautions to protect lives and property while keeping the lights on as long as it is safe to do so,” said Chris Hansen, LPEA CEO in a news release. “We’re coordinating closely with local fire and emergency officials and are prepared to respond rapidly as conditions evolve.”
BIA Fire Management responded with help from the Los Pinos Fire Protection District. Two Type 6 engines and two suppression models were deployed.
Durango Fire Protection District provided wildland firefighters and structure protection in the area, said Chief Black.
The Southern Ute Indian Tribe was coordinating with local agencies to minimize fire impact and ensure public safety, the BIA said. The tribe was also working with oil and gas operators in the area.
A third fire, the Teelawuket Fire, ignited in the wilderness area east of Vallecito Reservoir. It was contained to about 1 acre.
This is a developing story. Check back with www.durangoherald.com for updates.
Herald Staff Writer Christian Burney contributed to this report.
