Firefighters were battling a small wildfire Friday evening above the railroad tracks near the intersection of East Animas Road (County Road 250) and U.S. Highway 550, north of Durango.
“We have line around about 70 percent of the fire,” said Durango Fire & Rescue Authority Marshal Karola Hanks at about 7 p.m.
“The helicopter has gone back to base, the single-engine tanker made one drop and went home, and the crews will be leaving in an hour or an hour and a half.”
Crews had told her they expected to have containment as of 8 p.m. Friday, Hanks said.
Highway 550 was closed briefly for helicopter drops but was open to traffic by 7 p.m.
The fire, burning at about 7,100 feet in elevation, was reported about 4 p.m. Friday and had burned about 2 acres by 7 p.m.
“It appears to have started near the railroad tracks,” Hanks said, “but I can’t say it was started by the railroad.” She said a U.S. Forest Service investigator will have to determine that.
No structures were immediately threatened, she said.
“People will see smoke settling (Friday) evening as the temperature goes down and the humidity goes up,” Hanks said.
She said that hand crews from DFRA, Upper Pine fire district and the Forest Service would return today.
shane@durangoherald.com
