Two significant wildfires were caused by lightning in Archuleta County in late June.
Smoke from the Chris Mountain Fire, burning on National Forest land about 12 miles northwest of downtown Pagosa Springs and still 0% contained, is visible from many locations in the community. It was estimated at about 500 acres yesterday.
The 286-acre Coal Mine Fire, meanwhile, has been burning for the past week about 18 miles south of downtown, on Southern Ute land.
At the Archuleta Board of County Commissioners’s work session on Wednesday morning, County Sheriff Mike Le Roux stated that the Coal Mine Fire was essentially 100% contained, thanks to a cooperative effort by the Southern Ute Agency, Archuleta County, and a Type 3 team from Nevada.
Inciweb gave the containment data as “95% contained” as of Wednesday morning, when the pre-evacuation order was lifted.
The fire, which was first reported on June 26, had grown from about 40 acres on June 28 to 267 acres on June 29.
The final size of the burned area, as of yesterday, appears to be 286 acres.
The details posted to the Inciweb website:
Incident Type: Wildfire
Cause: Lightning
Date of Origin: Mon, 06/26/2023 – 03:00
Location: 18 Miles South of Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Size: 286 acres
Incident Commander: Nevada Team 1 (Type 3), Incident Commander – Joe Powell (Actual), IC-Trainee Danny Gallagher
Fire activity continues to decrease and very few smokes remain within the interior. However, RED FLAG weather warnings are in the forecast today. Crews are taking extra care to ensure the fireline is secured before this event. Mop-up is being completed to ensure that the fire is cold to the touch no less than 100 feet from the perimeter of the fire. Crews have already completed a good portion of the mop-up strategy, as well as adding additional lines to reinforce unburned pockets where heavy fuel build up remains.
Wildlife is already beginning to return to the area, prompting crews to be extra cautious in the thick fuels surrounding the fire.
The fire held up well through the Red Flag warnings from the previous day, allowing containment to rise to 95%. A few remaining smokes within the interior of the fire continued to be sought after throughout the day. Crews are now focused on building water bars along the secured fire line to prevent erosion and facilitate the rehabilitation of the landscape. Demobilization and/or reassignment of resources continues today.
Firefighters have received a welcome reception and generous support from the community throughout these fires in the area (Coal Mine/Chris Mountain). Last night, the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts provided musical entertainment, and volunteers from the community served Firefighters a meal donated by Alley House Grill before enjoying their own holiday festivities. Thank you!!