Lightning sparked a 2-acre blaze and several smaller spot fires in a 5-acre boxed area Sunday afternoon south of the Animas Air Park and west of County Road 213.

Capt. Koby Westerholm with the Durango Fire Protection District said two fire engines and six firefighters from his agency responded to the Spring Fire, and he expected the crew to battle the fire until midnight Sunday, and firefighters would return about 7 a.m. today.

In addition, crews and equipment, including a singe-engine air tanker, responded from Bureau of Indian Affairs, Upper Pine and Pagosa Springs fire protection districts.

Westerholm said the BIA sent an additional two engines, but he was not sure of the total number of firefighters or the amount of equipment dedicated to the fire Sunday evening.

He estimated the fire was 40 percent contained around 9 p.m. Sunday, and he anticipated total containment sometime today.

“It’s definitely not going to spread (Sunday night), and we should get a handle on it today. Moisture coming would definitely help,” he said.

The biggest problem, Westerholm said, was the time it will take to build fire lines around several small fires.

“It’s going to be labor-intensive more than anything,” he said.

Westerholm said the fires, on Southern Ute tribal land, were inaccessible to vehicles, and firefighters had to hike in to the site. No structures were threatened.

patrick@durangoherald.com