Colo. fire sparks more evacuations
1,300 homes now vacated due to blaze north of Durango
DURANGO, Colo. — Authorities in southwestern Colorado ordered the evacuation of 300 more homes Friday to allow firefighters to attack an advancing flank of a wildfire that burned more than 10 square miles of rugged terrain but had not damaged or destroyed any structures. La Plata County’s latest order follows the evacuation of more than 1,000 homes earlier along U.S. 550, a key artery connecting the cities of Durango and Silverton. The blaze, named the 416 Fire, started June 1 in San Juan National Forest. It comes as severe drought is gripping the American Southwest, especially the Four Corners area, where Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado meet. Police escorts led traffic convoys along the highway during daylight hours Friday. Residents affected by Friday’s order had until 4 p.m. to comply so firefighters could check the advance of the northeastern flank of the fire. The order applied to an area known as Hermosa, about 10 miles north of Durango. Firefighters’ priority Friday was protecting structures around Hermosa, Brian Eaby, a spokesman for a federal team in charge of the firefighting effort, told The Durango Herald. He said no structures were immediately threatened. “We’re going to stay vigilant and make sure there are no hot spots,” Eaby said. Temperatures were in the 80s Friday, with extremely low humidity and calmer winds than
on Thursday. Officials said the fire had burned more than 7,000 acres, or more than 10 square miles. Nearly 700 firefighters backed by air support were attacking the blaze, which was 10 percent contained. Its cause was unknown. Durango was operating an evacuation center and a shelter and taking in livestock at La Plata County Fairgrounds. Crews set controlled burns late Thursday that stopped the fire’s southern side from spreading and were working the same tactic on the northern side, national forest officials said. Firefighters faced steep and sometimes inaccessible terrain on the western side, with aircraft deployed overhead.