Firefighters on Monday responded to a small lightning-caused wildfire burning near Rockwood, about 18 miles north of Durango.

The Quarry Fire, burning on U.S. Forest Service lands, was started Monday afternoon by a lightning bolt in the area, said Esther Godson, spokeswoman for the San Juan National Forest.

Firefighting crews and a helicopter were working the blaze Monday afternoon.

“We have resources on scene. It’s just a quarter-acre, and they feel confident with it right now,” she said at 6:20 p.m.

Sean English, who lives at Shalona Lake, said he heard the lightning bolt about 2:40 p.m. and his girlfriend saw smoke from the fire about five minutes later.

“It’s still pretty smoky,” he said about 6:45 p.m.

Godson said public land managers anticipate a few more lighting-caused wildfires to spark in the next day or two as a result of a widespread lightning storm over the San Juan Mountains.

“We did have some lightning over the weekend, but it was pretty dispersed,” she said.

She added: “With conditions the way they are, I know that we are talking with our partners about fire restrictions again.”

shane@durangoherald.com