YOUR AD HERE »

Wildfire that sparked a declaration of a state of local disaster in La Plata County reaches San Juan National Forest

Firefighters’ Saturday goals include protecting neighborhoods and threatened infrastructure and quickly extinguishing any spot fires.

The 416 wildfire about 10 miles north of Durango has reached the San Juan National Forest on Saturday and prompted evacuations and a declaration of a state of local disaster.
Photo Courtesy of La Plata County

A fire that began burning 10 miles north of Durango on Friday has forged a path into the San Juan National Forest overnight into Saturday, along with prompting evacuations and the declaration of a state of local disaster in the unincorporated areas of La Plata County.

U.S. 550 north of Durango remains closed as fire crews continue to battle the blaze nicknamed the 416 fire by authorities.

As of Saturday morning, the fire was 0 percent contained and had spread to 1,500 acres from 1,100 the night before.

Photos from a Colorado Department of Transportation webcam located six miles north of Hermosa showed a wall of smoke snaking through the trees on Saturday morning near a sign for the San Juan National Forest.

Firefighters working overnight to tame the flames were aided by cooler temperatures, according to a Facebook post from the U.S. Forest Service’s San Juan National Forest page. Fire crews were dedicated to attacking spot fires overnight to protect neighborhoods and threatened structures.

Firefighters’ Saturday goals include protecting neighborhoods and threatened infrastructure and quickly extinguishing any spot fires. Crews will work along U.S. Highway 550 to keep the fire from crossing the highway. U.S. Highway 550 remains closed between mile markers 34 and 48. County Road 250 is closed to north and southbound traffic.

Read the full story on DenverPost.com.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.