Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Another photo in the trend of pretty mustangs trying to hide behind the only greenery in Spring Creek Basin, which is mostly greasewood.

No news here: The 416 Fire grew, and the Burro Fire grew. We had smoke in Disappointment Valley.

Terra can’t believe that Piedra is trying the ol’ hide-behind-the-tamarisk ploy, especially after Aspen got caught looking red-handed handsome the other day. 🙂

We need a smile.

The 416 Fire nearly doubled in size Sunday, and now more than 2,000 homes are evacuated north of Durango. The Burro Fire has grown to 1,000 acres and has 0 percent containment. These two fires in Southwest Colorado were the lead story on the Denver CBS 4 news last night.

An email last night from San Juan National Forest spokeswoman Cam Hooley:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 10, 2018

San Juan National Forest to Implement Forest-wide Closure Order

DURANGO, CO –The San Juan National Forest (SJNF) is planning to implement Forest-wide Stage 3 fire closure this week, which will prohibit most entry into the forest.  The purpose of the closure is to protect natural resources and public safety due to the danger of wildland fire. Fire danger on the SJNF remains very high due to exceptional drought and fuel conditions.  The closure order is expected to be signed Tuesday, June 12, 2018 and remain in effect until the forest receives sufficient moisture to improve conditions.

The closure order will prohibit entry into the San Juan National Forest, including entry by the general public, most administrative entry by Forest Service employees, and most uses authorized under Forest Service permits and contracts. This means that forest campgrounds, day use areas, roads, and trails will be closed, including wilderness areas, and that hiking, dispersed camping, and other recreational activities are prohibited. Exemptions might be granted on a case-by-case basis with a written authorization from the Forest Service, which would include specific requirements for fire prevention. Exemptions must be requested from the appropriate District Ranger (below). Federal, state, or local officers conducting specific duties are exempt. The McPhee Recreation Area Complex boat ramp and marina will likely remain open but no shoreline use will be allowed.

The SJNF covers 1.8 million acres within the Dolores Ranger District, the Columbine Ranger District, and the Pagosa Ranger District across nine counties in southwestern Colorado. County and state roads and U.S. highways that cross Forest Service lands will not be affected by this order. On-going road closures due to the 416 Fire will continue to be managed by the La Plata County Sherriff. Businesses in local communities will remain open for business during the Forest closure at their discretion.

San Juan National Forest Supervisor, Kara Chadwick, wants concerned citizens to know that instituting a forest closure is an extremely difficult decision, and she is aware that the closure will affect a great many people, businesses, partner agencies, forest management activities, and the public. Forest managers use several criteria to determine when to implement restrictions and closures, including fuel moistures, current and predicted weather, values at risk from wildfire, fire activity levels, and available firefighting resources. The SJNF implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions on May 1, then Stage 2 fire restrictions on June 1, but conditions continued to worsen.  “The indices our fire team uses to predict fire danger are at historic levels well before we can expect any significant moisture from the seasonal monsoons,” SJNF Forest Fire Staff Officer, Richard Bustamante said.  “Under current conditions, one abandoned campfire or spark could cause a catastrophic wildfire, and we are not willing to take that chance with the natural and cultural resources under our protection and care, or with human life and property.”

Violating Stage 3 fire restrictions or going into a closed area carries a mandatory appearance in federal court, and is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment of up to six months, or both.

The signed closure order will be posted on the San Juan National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/sanjuan/home . You can also follow @SanJuanNF on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information, please contact:

San Juan National Forest Supervisor’s Office at 970-247-4874,

Dolores Ranger District at 970-882-7296,

Columbine Ranger District at 970-884-2512,

or the Pagosa Ranger District at 970-264-2268.

To report a fire on federal lands, please contact the Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch Center at (970) 385-1324.

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This devastating drought affects us all. While these fires are not particularly close to Spring Creek Basin, they affect our neighbors and friends. Our prayers and wishes for safety continue to be with all of those folks, and with the firefighters, working on all aspects of these fires, away from their own homes and families.

Firefighters on the Horse Park Fire have hit the astounding mark of 90 percent containment as of Friday night. Amazing work! We continue to send our thanks to these hardworking men and women.

But in other wildfire news … our prayers are with residents north of Durango who have been evacuated from their homes and/or are on pre-evacuation notice for the 416 Fire. Our friends with Four Corners Back Country Horsemen are helping evacuate horses.

Follow La Plata County Government’s Facebook page for updates about the 416 Fire.

It’s a scary dry world out there. Safety precautions cannot be overstated.

The Forest Service has enacted Stage 2 fire restrictions on San Juan National Forest land in Southwest Colorado, and BLM Tres Rios’ Stage 2 fire restrictions begin Monday, June 4:

STAGE 2 FIRE RESTRICTIONS begin in the BLM TRES RIOS FIELD OFFICE on MONDAY, JUNE 4
The following acts are prohibited under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions on BLM lands:
• Building, maintaining, attending or using an OPEN FLAME, including fire, campfire, stove fire, charcoal grills and barbecues, coal and wood burning stoves, and devices (stoves, grills or lanterns) using liquid fuel such as white gas or kerosene. This prohibition applies to all public lands within the Tres Rios Field Office and Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, including Wilderness Study Areas and developed camping and picnic grounds in Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, Montrose, and San Miguel Counties.
• Exception: Operating a stove, lantern, or other device using pressurized gas canisters (isobutene or propane) equipped with a valve that allows the operator to immediately turn the flame on and off.
• SMOKING.
• Exception: Within an enclosed vehicle, trailer or building.
• WELDING or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame.
• Using an EXPLOSIVE. This includes but is not limited to fuses or blasting caps, fireworks, rockets, exploding targets, and tracers or incendiary ammunition.
• Operating a CHAINSAW without an approved spark arresting device, a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher (8 oz. capacity by weight or larger and kept with the operator) and a round point shovel with an overall length of at least 35 inches readily available for use, or outside of the restricted hours of 5am – 1pm.
• All TARGET SHOOTING – To include Discharging a FIREARM, air rifle, or gas gun.
• Possessing or using a MOTOR VEHICLE OFF ESTABLISHED ROADS, motorized trails or established parking areas, except when parking in an area devoid of vegetation within 10 feet of the vehicle.
• Except for parking overnight in developed campgrounds and trailheads.
• The use of fireworks, flares, or other incendiary devices, including exploding targets, are always prohibited on federal lands.
These restrictions include Bureau of Land Management Tres Rios Field Office and Canyons of the Ancients National Monument including BLM managed lands in Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, Montrose, and San Miguel counties.

According to Inciweb, the Horse Park Fire is now 80 percent contained!

It lists the estimated containment date as July 9. I incorrectly had June 9 in yesterday’s post. Who could blame me? Those firefighters are rockin’ their efforts on this fire.

It was pretty warm and VERY windy again, so firefighters are dealing with some rough conditions. I saw a couple of helicopters ferrying water over the fire today, as well as, for the first time, a Chinook-type helicopter. This Army brat loves seeing those big boys. 🙂

The horses are doing fine. One benefit of the wind is that the basin is pretty well clear of smoke.

The Horse Park Fire was fairly quiet today in terms of visible smoke. The firefighting effort continues from the air, and that seems to be having a good effect. The fire is up to about 1,500 acres.

For fire updates – including a pretty haunting video (scroll down under “Tweets”) – visit the webpage for San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office.

If you’re on Facebook, follow the sheriff’s office Facebook page for updates.

We send our thanks to all those involved with the firefighting efforts.

Rain dances are ALWAYS appreciated. 🙂