Local News - The Journal

Fort Lewis College Foundation sets fundraising record

Donations reach ‘every corner of campus’

DATE: Aug 29, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Animas River Stakeholders disband after 25 years of cleanup efforts

Group’s role fell into doubt after Superfund established outside Silverton

DATE: Aug 29, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Why is gas cheaper in Durango than Cortez?

Economists say the answer is simple: supply and demand

DATE: Aug 29, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Four local schools hit highest state accreditations

Manaugh, Battle Rock show significant improvements; district seeks higher rating

DATE: Aug 29, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Sleuths go to work at historic Southwest Colorado cemeteries

Project documents burials, but there’s a catch: unmarked graves

DATE: Aug 29, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Missing Farmington man found dead in Arizona

Man had been missing since early July, police say

DATE: Aug 29, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Farmington police plan DWI checkpoints in September

The Journal The Farmington Police Department officers will participate in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign throughout September, including sobriety checkpoints...

DATE: Aug 28, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Rescue teams in Southwest Colorado keep busy

Lost hikers found; people injured in 4X4 crashes

DATE: Aug 28, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Oil and gas defenders, critics test Colorado’s new law

Cities, counties gain power to set rules on well locations

DATE: Aug 28, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Seventh Street extension solutions considered

Cortez to possibly de-annex land to county

DATE: Aug 28, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Fire danger increases in Southwest Colorado

National Weather Service issues ‘fire weather watch’ for Thursday

DATE: Aug 28, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Underwood Optical celebrates 65th anniversary

The Journal Underwood Optical is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year and will be hosting an after-hours party with the Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m...

DATE: Aug 28, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Photos: La Plata County Fair in full swing Thursday

10 years after Gold King Mine Spill, locals reflect on need for patience EPA cleanup efforts continue at Bonita Peak Superfund site; some wonder if there's been progress

SILVERTON – The streets of Silverton buzz with summer tourists in late July. Passengers disembark from the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, duck into gift shops, sip beers at saloons and snap photos of the jagged peaks that surround the historic mining town.Few are thinking about the Gold King Mine spill, even as its 10-year anniversary approaches.Even locals living near the Bonita Peak Mining District Superfund site – created in the wake of the 2015 disaster – rarely dwell on it.This quiet normalcy is, in some ways, a sign of success.Invisible no longer On Aug. 5, 2015, Environmental Protection Agency contractors breached a collapsed mine entrance at the Gold King Mine. About 3 million gallons of acidic mine drainage laced with heavy metals poured into Cement Creek, sending a plume of orange water down the Animas and San Juan rivers before settling in Lake Powell over a week later.

Images of the Animas River colored a toxic, synthetic-looking shade of orange-rust made international headlines and drew the globe’s attention to Silverton and the legacy of environmental contamination left by the mining boom in the West. “It was a literal tsunami of not only national, but international press,” said DeAnne Gallegos, spokesperson for San Juan County, Colorado.In days following, it was confirmed that the actual environmental damage was minor. No fish died and the water quality retained no long-term effects. “It was more of a visual emergency than it was a real environmental disaster,” said Ty Churchwell, mining coordinator for Trout Unlimited and secretary for the Community Advisory Fund.

The spill, he and others said, brought long-overdue attention to an invisible crisis: the legacy pollution from hundreds of abandoned and inactive mines discharging heavy metals into the watershed year-round.“It wasn’t a fish killer, but yes, people were impacted,” Churchwell said. “Businesses shut down. Tourism slowed. Tribes were hurt.”A catalyst for cleanup The immediate response was marked by uncertainty and concern – not only for the environment, but for the community’s reputation and economy, said Anthony Edwards, Silverton’s representative on the Community Advisory Group.In the months following, Silverton’s leaders wrestled with whether to accept a Superfund designation, a term considered to be politically fraught in the tourism-dependent town.[superfund explanation] The spill pushed the region’s move toward the unanimous acceptance of the Bonita Peak Mining District Superfund site designation a year later. Many residents worried that a Superfund designation would bring disruption, recalling the experience of other mining towns where extensive cleanup efforts had upended daily life and threatened tourism.Still, the community took proactive steps to educate itself and advocate for its interests, which proved a turning point.Local leaders studied the experiences of other Superfund towns, distributed books about environmental cleanups, and sent a detailed letter to state and federal officials outlining their concerns and recommendations, Edwards said. That collaborative approach helped shape how the Superfund designation was implemented in Silverton: The cleanup efforts were kept outside town limits to minimize the potential negative effects. It’s been one of biggest successes in the years after the spill, said former Mayor Molly Barela. Silverton is not directly associated with the Superfund site or the presence of toxic pollutants.

Several business owners said the memory of the spill is no longer on visitors’ minds. All agreed it’s rare for a customer to bring it up.According to DeAnne Gallegos said spokesperson for San Juan County, those successes are credited to the community’s advocacy.“It was kind of a dance of just trying to figure this out,” she said. “And I’ve always said, once you sign up for a Superfund with a community, you are in a decades-long arranged marriage with a federal agency.”And despite early fears, the tourism industry did not experience the expected decline after the Superfund designation.“In some ways, it’s helped us,” said Scott Fetchenhier, San Juan County commissioner and Silverton business owner. “We have EPA people staying in town. They’re eating in the restaurants, buying liquor at the liquor store and stuff like that.”Since the designation, the EPA has completed surface water and soil sampling, built a water treatment plant below the Gold King Mine and prioritized about a dozen sites for early cleanup actions.

Major stabilization work has been completed at the Red and Bonita Mine, and more than 80 waste piles have been assessed.In recent years, the agency entered the remedial investigation phase – a comprehensive study to guide long-term cleanup decisions. Mitigation work has been completed or is nearly done at 21 of the 48 identified mine sites, according to the EPA’s five-year review.“They either redirected water around mine tailings or somehow made those sites less toxic to the environment,” said Chara Ragland, chairwoman of the Community Advisory Group.The EPA also constructed a waste repository, which is now nearing completion after delays caused by a lapsed contractor agreement.

The Gold King Mine remains the only site where contaminated water is actively treated. The water treatment plant, at the base of Bonita Peak near the American Tunnel, was built just months after the spill. It extracts metals such as lead and arsenic from the water and turns them into a solid sludge.The treated versions of these metals are completely safe, Churchwell said. So safe that they could be disposed of at the Bondad Landfill if it weren’t so costly to transport.A long road and lingering criticismsDespite nearly $140 million spent, some locals question the pace and impact of the cleanup.“In 10 years, what have they done? They’ve moved a lot of dirt,” Barela said.She and others pointed to the success of the now-defunct Animas River Stakeholders Group, a coalition of regional citizens and agencies that had made steady progress cleaning the watershed before the Superfund site was established.

“That was everyone in the Four Corners – including the Southern Ute Tribe, Silverton and Durango – coming together,” Gallegos said.The Stakeholders Group dissolved after the Superfund designation and was restructured into the Community Advisory Group, the community’s main point of contact with the EPA.For some, the scope of the Superfund site feels too broad.Of the 48 sites included in the Bonita Peak Mining District, just four – the Gold King, Red and Bonita, American Tunnel, and Mogul Mines – account for the majority of metal pollution, and only the Gold King is currently treated.San Juan County Commissioner and business owner Scott Fetchenhier said his original belief – that the Superfund should have focused solely on the most polluting mines – has only been reinforced.The limits of the systemChurchwell and others say progress has been slow largely because of the limitations of the Superfund framework itself.“It’s the only legal mechanism by which we can clean up abandoned mines like this,” he said. “Whether we like it or not, that’s the tool. Without it, we’d just be nibbling at the edges.”Last year, the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024 – aimed at addressing pollution from smaller mines not covered under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act – was signed into law.Originally introduced in 1999, the legislation allows eligible parties, or “Good Samaritans,” to obtain remediation permits for abandoned mines where no responsible party remains to be held accountable for the cleanup.Previously, any entity that attempted to clean up historic mines with ongoing acid or heavy metal drainage assumed full legal liability for the pollution. The Act provides liability protections to such entities to encourage remediation efforts at these neglected sites.Churchwell credited the final passage of the Act to the attention the 2015 Gold King Mine spill brought to the issue of hard rock mine contamination and the limited legal tools available to address it.

While the law offers an important alternative mechanism for mine cleanup, Churchwell said it only complements the work being done under the Bonita Peak Superfund designation. Mine sites already included in a Superfund are not eligible for Good Samaritan permits.But that is still not nearly enough, Edwards said. “The Superfund program, as currently designed, isn’t always a good fit for Western mining districts with complex land ownership and environmental issues,” he said. “We need a better way to clean our watersheds without imposing unnecessary burdens on local communities.”There’s bipartisan support for addressing the legacy of mining in the West, he said. But small towns like Silverton often lack the population, and subsequent political power to drive timely change.Meanwhile, concerns about the stability of the program are mounting. Several CAG members cited federal workforce reductions and political uncertainty as major threats to continued progress.“They were supposed to have the repository finished at the beginning of this summer,” Ragland said. “That didn’t happen because they couldn’t get a contract signed.”

Looking ahead: A decade of patienceStill, there are signs of improvement. Fish have returned to stretches of Mineral Creek where none lived before.“This is a long-term project for a lot of us,” Ragland said. “The idea that the EPA should have swooped in and fixed everything in 10 years is unrealistic.”Fetchenhier put it more bluntly: “The federal government ain’t gonna get anything done quickly.”Even so, many in Silverton remain committed to the process, however imperfect.“If you could sum up the last 10 years in one word,” Fetchenhier said, “it’d be ‘patience.’”jbowman@durangoherald.com

EPA cleanup efforts continue at Bonita Peak Superfund site; some wonder if there's been progress

Dulins Dodgers claim first Connie Mack World Series title, beat Renegades 5-2Landon Collins hurls complete game and picks up tournament MVP award

FARMINGTON – The fourth time was the charm for Dulins Dodgers, who captured their first Connie Mack World Series championship Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Ricketts Park with a dominating 5-2 win over the defending champion Southern California Renegades.Led by a stellar pitching performance by Landon Collins, as well as timely hitting from Tommy Baker and John Clark, the Dodgers grabbed command of the scoreboard in the second inning and never trailed in the final game of the tournament, giving the team from Gunter, Texas, their first championship in one of the nation’s most prestigious amateur baseball tournaments.

“It’s such a hard event to win, and it’s hard to win in general, but everyone talked about how young we were, but they played like veterans,” said Dodgers head coach Chris Godwin. “They’re resilient, selfless, and they’re unbelievable teammates. When you look at championship teams, everybody is for each other, everybody wants the next guy up and that’s why we won this game.”Collins pitched a complete game, striking out six Renegades hitters while allowing just two runs on six hits and a pair of walks over seven innings. The Texas Tech University commit threw just 97 pitches and had the Renegades offense on its heels much of the night.“You can’t ask for a better kid. I don’t know if there’s many out there who work harder than him,” Godwin said. “I’m so proud of him, and he’s going to be a big time arm in the future.”The Dodgers struck first, taking advantage of a fielding error in the top of the second inning. Renegades starting pitcher Stephen Michalsky threw offline trying to get Kolt Larsen out at third on a bunt attempt from John Clark. The errant throw allowed Larsen to score and gave the Dodgers a 1-0 advantage.Michalsky threw 2 2/3 innings before he was replaced by Tyler Onofre. Michalsky left with the bases loaded but Onofre got Dodgers second baseman John Clark to ground out to end the top half of the third inning.

The Dodgers got some defensive help in the bottom of the third inning when Collins took a grounder off the bat of Evan Thomas, leading a double play to first baseman Logan Corley, who threw across the infield to nab Isaiah Munoz, who led off the frame with a single. Onofre was replaced on the mound by JW Bayless. Onofre gave up a walk and a single to start the top of the fourth inning. Bayless then struck out two of the next three batters to end the Dodgers threat.The Renegades offense had an golden opportunity to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth, while Collins showed the first signs of trouble on the mound. The Renegades loaded the bases with a double by Tomas Cernius, followed by a sharply hit single by Travis Curry and a walk to Sean Green. Collins responded by striking out Tyler Peshke before Munoz bounced out to the shortstop. The Renegades stranded five baserunners in the contest.

Bayless returned to the mound in the top of the fifth inning and surrendered only one hit. The Piedra Vista High product has been one of the most efficient pitchers in the tournament, with a three-inning shutout performance out of the bullpen earlier this week in a Renegades win over the Midland Redskins.The Dodgers broke the game open in the top of the sixth, scoring three times. Clark and Ashten Ballew both scored, followed by Austen Allen. Those three runs gave the Dodgers a commanding 4-0 edge.The Renegades closed the gap in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ben Finnegan led off the frame getting hit by a pitch, then scored on a double down the right field line by Curry. Green then doubled in Curry to cut the Dodgers lead in half, but then proceeded to leave a runner on base to end the threat.The Dodgers added a run in the top of the seventh when Baker led off the frame with a single and later scored from second on a base hit from Clark to add some leverage for Collins, who shut the Renegades down with a flawless final inning to complete the win.“Everything was working for me tonight, I got myself into a lot of 2-strike counts and had myself in the drivers seat,” Collins said. “I had a lot of faith in my defense and they executed so well in getting us out of jams.”

The Dodgers made their CMWS debut in 2022 and have been a return visitor each of the last three years. In 2022 and 2023, they earned automatic bids to the tournament having won the Don Mattingly World Series the prior year. This year, the Dodgers won the Ozarks qualifying tournament in Joplin, Missouri to earn their spot in the event. The Dodgers finish the CMWS with a record of 4 wins and one loss, dropping their only game in bracket competition to the Midland Southwest Bulls.The Renegades, who were hoping to become back-to-back CMWS champions, never appeared to overcome Collins’ performance on the mound.“The kid threw strikes and we just couldn’t capitalize on them at all,” said Renegades head coach Si Pettrow. “Even when we made that run in the fourth, we still couldn’t keep that momentum going.”This was the second meeting between these two teams during the Connie Mack World Series. On Thursday, the Dodgers outscored the Renegades by a score of 9-6. “The more you see a team, the more you get to scout their tendencies and so we focused on that a little bit coming into this game tonight. The Renegades finish the tournament with a record of 4-2, with both of their losses coming at the hands of the newly crowned champions.

Landon Collins hurls complete game and picks up tournament MVP award

A sampling of images from the Montezuma County Fair

Vermette wins Red Bull Hardline WalesDurango downhill mountain bike star made history becoming youngest winner

Asa Vermette didn’t think it was enough. The 18-year-old downhill mountain bike sensation was the final rider to hit the Red Bull Hardline course in Dyfi, Wales, on Sunday. He knew England’s Charlie Hatton had put down a great run before him.He knew the top of his run wasn’t the fastest and he made a small mistake. That mistake didn’t matter. As soon as Vermette crossed the finish line, the timing screen turned green and he became the youngest Red Bull Hardline winner in the event’s history, beating Hatton’s run by 1.681 seconds. It was a bounce back effort for Vermette after he finished second at Red Bull Hardline Tasmania in February. “I felt really good after Tasmania; I just wanted to get the win, pretty bad, for sure,” Vermette said. “So to do it there was insane. Also, I wasn't really even thinking about being the youngest person until it happened. So, I'm stoked on that; it’s cool.”The Durangoan completed his final run in two minutes and 24.477 seconds; Vermette’s final run was over four seconds faster than his qualifying run. Hatton finished in second in 2:26.158 and Ronan Dinne was third in 2:29.396. Like in many of his World Cup runs, Vermette built up his run by starting slower in the first split and then built his speed and a gap to his competitors. He was fourth after the first split and then had the fastest splits in Split 2, 3 and 4.

Rain was in the air in Dyfi the night before the qualifying and race day. Vermette didn’t grow up racing in the rain and mud in Durango but he’s gotten used to it doing the World Cups.“My riding style for all the technical rock gardens was actually pretty good because at Purgatory we’ve got a bunch of those; it's just doesn't usually rain,” Vermette said. “So the track was something I was pretty familiar with the steep chutes, corners and big jumps … having a slippery top section was something … to adjust to was some slippery rocks. But other than that, the track was pretty suited to me.”A big difference between World Cup tracks and Red Bull Hardline are the jumps. The jumps at Hardline, with drops up to 90 feet, according to Vermette, are a lot bigger than anything he’d see at a World Cup. The difference suits Vermette as he enjoys hitting jumps.Vermette had one final jump to nail before crossing the finish line at the bottom. He felt like his run wasn’t enough because of a couple mistakes. Reflecting on the moment, Vermette realizes that on the bike, every mistake feels like it’s bigger than it is.After hitting the final jump, crossing the finish line and realizing he won, Vermette was mobbed by camera people and his competitors congratulating him in front of a huge crowd.

It was an insane feeling for Vermette, one he struggled to put into words as all the fans were stoked to watch a run on such an entertaining track. The 2025 World Cup season has been tough for Vermette so far. He crashed in the first two rounds, is without a win and is fourth in the men’s junior downhill World Cup standings. His Red Bull Hardline win could turn the tide on his year. “It'll help for sure, just for the confidence,” Vermette said. “It's a totally different field and different track, but just the confidence of knowing you did it the weekend before or whatever will be nice to have. Hopefully we can just keep building and going on for me.”

Vermette has a quick turnaround to defend his men’s elite downhill USA Cycling Gravity Mountain Bike National Championship in Big Bear Lake, California, from Thursday-Sunday. bkelly@durangoherald.com

Durango downhill mountain bike star made history becoming youngest winner

Report IDs marshals involved in Farmington shootingMarshals claim suspect was armed with AK-47, but police can’t confirm it

The Tri-City Record has obtained an unredacted copy of the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office incident report detailing the May 7 shooting of two people by the U.S. Marshals Service in Farmington.The report identified the marshals involved in the shooting as Jared Santesson, Navid Babadi and Mike Coconis. It is believed their gunfire killed Breanna Wilkerson, 25, of Farmington, her puppy and Brandon Roe, 37, of Farmington.The marshals’ names had been redacted from all other documents received from the Sheriff’s Office including three written statements the Tri-City Record obtained through a July 10 Inspection of Public Records Acts Request.The statements detail the events leading up to the shooting deaths, which happened about 6:30 p.m. in the 4000 block of Copper Avenue, when Wilkerson reportedly was trying to leave the area with Roe in the vehicle.The statements showed that the marshals began surveillance on Roe on May 1, 2025, in response to three warrants issued on Feb. 20, 2025, for his arrest.

All three U.S. deputy marshals stated in the documents that they believed Roe to be armed and possibly in possession of an AK-47.“This belief stemmed from his history, from when the Farmington Officer recently observed an AK style firearm in his vehicle’s front seat,” one of the marshals stated.San Juan County Sheriff’s Lt. Gilbert stated in the shooting narrative that “Roe had fled from FPD a week or so before, and an AK-47 was found in the vehicle.”An email detailing the statement was sent on July 24 to Farmington Police spokeswoman Shanice Gonzales, who originally said she could not confirm this.“We looked into it, and we can’t confirm that. We also reviewed other cases involving Roe and found no cases of an AK being observed by FPD,” Gonzales said shortly before 11 a.m. July 29.Then at 3:37 p.m. July 29 Gonzales sent a revised statement in an email, saying there was an incident at 1:46 a.m. April 16, 2025, in the 400 block of Copper Street.Officers were conducting “proactive patrols,” in the area, “when a male subject fled from a yard where he appeared to be working on a vehicle,” Gonzales wrote.The officers spoke to Wilkerson as well as other “individuals at the property to identify the fleeing subject but were unable to confirm his identity. Conflicting information was provided by individuals on scene,” Gonzales wrote.“While investigating, officers observed what appeared to be an M4-style firearm inside a vehicle located on the private property,” Gonzales said. “As there was no legal basis to seize the firearm at that time, it remained in place.”There also were reports of an empty holster being observed in Roe’s vehicle earlier in the day. However, none of the statements or the narrative mention an actual firearm being found at the scene.

The marshals also report that they believed “Roe to be the sole occupant” of Wilkerson’s Gold Chevrolet Blazer when they opened fire.However, they knew the Blazer was registered in Wilkerson’s name and said that they saw her leave the home in the 4000 block of Copper Avenue shortly before the shooting. “I observed Roe in the driver’s seat of the Gold Chevrolet Blazer with both hands on the left side of the steering wheel,” one marshal wrote.Another marshal wrote that he “only saw one individual in the vehicle,” and the person “looked like Roe and fit the description of clothing (that I could see) he was wearing prior to the approach to the residence.” He added that he saw a dog at a window in the backseat.

None of the marshals admitted to seeing Wilkerson, because she was “seated under Roe in the driver’s seat.”One of the marshals wrote “I never saw or knew anyone else was in the vehicle,” until after the shooting, when “I was very surprised and concerned to see someone under Roe.”However, in the incident report, Gilbert states, “I could see the occupants of the vehicle hunched over as the vehicle rolled forward.”Gilbert also states, “The male was awkwardly positioned in the vehicle.”Gilbert also stated that when law enforcement checked on Roe and Wilkerson after the shooting, Roe had a “faint pulse,” and Wilkerson was “clearly deceased.”One of the marshals stated that he “did not feel a pulse” on either Roe or Wilkerson, yet he “immediately requested medical personnel to be summoned for medical aid.”

The marshal, believed to be Babadi from the video and the redacted statement, claimed that before the shooting, Roe was “revving” the engine and “the vehicle continued to accelerate rapidly toward me.”In the video, the marshal believed to be Babadi could be seen jumping from his vehicle and running toward the front of the Blazer, while yelling, “Show me your f----ing hands.”However, in his statement to investigators, he said he was “unable to move out of the way in time,” and “I believed I was about to run over and fearing for my life, I fired my weapon multiple times through the front windshield to stop the deadly threat.”This marshal stated that he could “not estimate the speed of the vehicle.”Another marshal stated, “the vehicle was moving fast enough by my perception to kill or seriously injure,” other law enforcement officers, and he knew this because of his “personal experience of being run over by a fleeing fugitive in a vehicle in the past.”However, Lt. Gilbert wrote in the incident narrative that the “vehicle was moving somewhat slowly and erratically towards them.”This incident was not the first time Babadi stood in front of vehicle and fired into the windshield. He was involved in a multi-agency police-involved shooting on Dec. 14, 2020, which resulted in the death of William Hernandez, 46, of Kirtland.According to the news release dated Jan. 21, 2021, from the New Mexico State Police, Hernandez barricaded himself inside a Ford Expedition outside the Life Care Center in Farmington.The report stated that Babadi “positions himself facing the front of the Expedition.”Hernandez was armed with a knife and a handgun, which he pointed at the head of a passenger. He lowered the gun and then, raised it “a second time towards” the passenger’s head, the news release stated.Babadi, four San Juan County Sheriff’s deputies and a New Mexico State Police Officer fired into the vehicle, killing Hernandez, the news release stated.Babadi also was named in at least two lawsuits claiming illegal search and seizure of vehicles, and in the 2019 case, U.S. Magistrate Laura Fashing entered a ruling to suppress all evidence from the search and seizure as it was not done legally.A determination has not been made in the shooting deaths of Roe and Wilkerson. San Juan County District Attorney Jack Fortner said his office is reviewing the information and should make a decision this week.This article was updated July 29 to include new comment from Farmington Police spokeswoman Shanice Gonzales about the investigation of Brandon Roe.

Marshals claim suspect was armed with AK-47, but police can’t confirm it

The stars behind the Montezuma County FairFamilies set up pens, exhibits for the Montezuma County FairLocal 4-H members and their parents gathered at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds Saturday afternoon before dispersing to set up exhibit tables for the upcoming Montezuma County Fair. Monday will feature 4-H general project entries, 4-H live cake decorating, fine arts contest, fashion revue contest, cat contest and more, while Tuesday will include weigh-ins for goats, beef, sheep, swine, rabbits and poultry.A highlight will be the 4-H and FFA livestock shows, running throughout the week, starting on Wednesday, where 4-H members will showcase their livestock prior to the event’s sale.

Families set up pens, exhibits for the Montezuma County Fair

52 homes evacuated, more on alert from Elkhorn and Rim Road firesEvacuees directed to Escalante Middle School shelter

The Rim Road and Elkhorn fires have prompted the evacuation of a combined 52 homes. Evacuees from both places are encouraged to shelter at Escalante Middle School at 141 Baker Lane if they don’t have anywhere else to go, said Ted Holteen, spokesman for La Plata County. The 112-acre Rim Road Fire, south of the Durango-La Plata County Airport, has triggered the evacuation of 11 homes. The Elkhorn Fire on Missionary Ridge, has led to 41 homes being evacuated, with another 34 under pre-evacuation notice, Holteen said.Firefighters continue to battle the Elk Horn Fire, which remains 0% contained and has grown to around 200 acres as of this evening. While no further evacuations have been ordered, current efforts are focused on halting the fire’s forward progress toward critical infrastructure rather than achieving full containment said Lorena Williams, Elk Horn Fire spokesperson. None of the growth has been in the directing of infrastucture or homes. Crews have applied heavy retardant to the north flank of the fire, particularly as it approaches the Bear Creek drainage, and on the southern flank, a recent firing operation has helped secure the fire line, in hopes it will lead to increased containment in the coming days she added. Cooler evening temperatures and increased humidity are expected to help the fire die down Williams said. Crews will be on scene throughout the evening. Holteen encouraged people to visit readylaplata.com for evacuation maps. Residents can also get updates on fire conditions and evacuations via the Elkhorn Fire Information Facebook page and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Facebook page. They can also call (970) 385-8700 for more information.

Holteen urged residents not to call 911 or local dispatch to report the fires and to stay out of the way of first responders working to contain the blazes. “Just steer clear and let folks do their jobs,” Holteen said. “Nobody should be driving up in those areas to go see what a fire looks like or anything like that. Don’t get in the way of emergency vehicles.”Weather conditions are expected to remain hot, dry and windy until at least Tuesday, meaning the wildfire danger remains high, said Kris Sanders, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.

The good news, Sanders said, is that the wind will die down Monday as the jetstream shifts. Moisture is expected to return Tuesday and Wednesday, though most of the rain will be above 8,000 feet in elevation. “Just know that the next couple days are going to be particularly dry and with some wind,” Sanders said. “So that’s something just to be concerned as far as starting any fires and sparking condition of dry vegetation.” According to the Elkhorn Fire Information Facebook page, the Elkhorn Fire was reported Saturday after a house caught fire and the flames spread to surrounding vegetation. The blaze grew to 145 acres but did not expand overnight, Holteen said. According to a news release from the Durango Police Department’s Facebook page, 150 personnel and aircraft – including air attack teams, a Type 1 fire helicopter and multiple air tankers – were dispatched to the Elkhorn Fire. Ground crews are using hand tools and heavy equipment to build fire breaks, while aircraft are dropping water and slurry to slow the fire’s spread.Helena Hotshots - an elite wildland fighting crew from Montana arrived to aid containment efforts at the Elkhorn fire around 6 p.m. Sunday.

A news release on the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Facebook page said the Rim Road Fire began Saturday afternoon near County Road 318 and Lenyx Lane. The tribe is coordinating with Los Pinos Fire, the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Fire Management Division. Forty personnel are working to contain the fire, and fire suppressant drops by air tankers have improved conditions on the ground, the release said. Kathi Arnold, who was evacuated Saturday on County Road 318, said she has since been able return. After watching Saturday’s fire behavior, she wasn’t sure her house would make it. But, she said, firefighters responded remarkably quickly.

“Watching the fire coming over the hill and spreading so fast with the wind and everything else, I had no real deep hopes that my house was going to be able to make it,” Arnold said. “But my house is just on a different ridge, and they were so on it so fast that it stayed on that side of the hill. They’ve done a magnificent job.” Residents near County Road 318 have been notified of the situation, though there is no evacuation order. Most residents have chosen to remain in their homes, the release said. This is a developing story. Check back with www.durangoherald.com for updates.sedmondson@durangoherald.com

Evacuees directed to Escalante Middle School shelter

Photos: Elkhorn Fire on Sunday

Three wildfires ignite across La Plata County, prompting evacuationsElkhorn Fire north of Durango began as a house fire, spread to wildland

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.

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