Communities Want Trees Thinned. Timber Companies Want Contracts. So What’s The Problem?

PAGOSA SPRINGS, Colo. — J.R. Ford’s company removes trees and brush from key areas around subdivisions, power lines and water utility infrastructure in a bid to better protect people from wildfire. It’s work that’s vitally important here in the arid West, where mountains have become overgrown with quick-to-burn trees such as ponderosa pine. But many…

STAGE 2 FIRE RESTRICTIONS on San Juan National Forest Effective June 1, 2018

Beginning June 1, 2018, Stage 2 Fire Restrictions will be in effect on all National Forest System lands within the San Juan National Forest, including Wilderness. Fire restrictions are designed to protect people, property and the area’s natural resources, and are in response to the exceptional drought rating in Southwest Colorado, increased fire activity throughout…

Archuleta County enters stage two fire ban

Fire restrictions in Archuleta County have risen from stage one to stage two and, as a result, have become more restrictive. Stage two fire restrictions were approved by the Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) at a special meeting Tuesday morning. The restrictions, included in a resolutation, were described as necessary to reduce the…

Quick air attack, hot-shot crew helped subdue 358 Fire

Hitting the 358 Fire northeast of Durango hard and fast with helicopters, planes and a hot-shot crew helped control and contain it. The fire was started on private property Friday afternoon by someone shooting recreationally. Before it was extinguished Monday, the blaze consumed between 51 and 53 acres, Upper Pine River Fire Chief Bruce Evans said. No…

The abnormally dry conditions have prompted several local firefighting agencies to implement “no burn” days.

Over the next several days, Durango is expected to see a red flag warning, wind gusts up to 60 mph, highs near 60 degrees, lows close to 20 degrees and another near-miss storm that’ll snub the southern San Juan Mountains. According to the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, a red flag warning was in…

Prescribed Burns Planned for Turkey Springs/Brockover Mesa and First Fork Areas on the Pagosa Ranger District

Prescribed Burns Planned for Turkey Springs/Brockover Mesa and First Fork Areas on the Pagosa Ranger District Release Date: Apr 5, 2018 The Pagosa Ranger District is planning to burn approximately 400 acres in the Turkey Springs/Brockover Mesa areas northwest of Pagosa Springs, CO. Operations may begin as early as the week of April 9th; actual dates of…