Durango cancels fireworks show

The ongoing Lightner Creek fire and continuing “extreme fire conditions” has forced Durango to postpone its Fourth of July fireworks display.

City officials, firefighters and police met Friday and decided to push back the city-sponsored fireworks display to a later, safer date.

“With this going on, we are not going to take any chances with fireworks,” said Scot Davis, a Durango Fire Rescue spokesman.

All other city-sponsored July 4 events, including the parade, a breakfast, picnic lunch, 5K run and free concert, will go on as scheduled. “We have received the fireworks, so we will look to put on a show at a date to be determined later this year, or early next year,” the city announced Friday. “We apologize for any inconvenience but we feel that a proactive decision is prudent.”

The Lightner Creek fire started June 28 in a structure on private land and quickly spread, burning through private, state and federal land. The fire on Friday was estimated at 362 acres and was 20 percent contained.

The Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team Black took command of the fire Friday.

La Plata County Roads 206, 207 and 208 remain closed Friday, as did all recreation trails in the “Test Tracks” area west of downtown Durango including: Hogsback, Leyden and Hidden Valley trails.

The weather forecast calls for sunny to mostly sunny skies, with high temperature in the mid-80s and no precipitation until thunderstorms next Friday.

“Wildfire behavior is largely contingent upon weather and fuel conditions. The potential for fire activity remains high,” fire officials warned.

“The public is reminded to be cautious with all combustible materials to prevent unwanted, humancaused fires.”