Firefighters worked Friday to contain a wildfire near Electra Lake, north of Durango.
The fire, estimated to be 40 acres in size as of Friday night, was reported at 11:37 a.m. in the 42000 block of U.S. Highway 550, on the east side of the highway, said Randy Black of Durango Fire Protection District.
No structures were threatened, he said.
The fire was burning in a grassy field that was difficult to access, he said. Air support could have helped contain the blaze quicker, he said, but no helicopters or planes were stationed in the area.
“It’s in a tough spot where we’re having trouble getting to it, so I’m getting hand crews together and they’re going to start cutting hand lines because we can’t get trucks down to it,” Black said. “The wind has died down. It was an issue for a little while, but now it’s pretty calm so now we’re starting to get a handle on it.”
Firefighters plan to continue to build a containment line and douse hot spots this weekend, said Karola Hanks, DFPD fire marshal.
As a result, the fire department suspended permitted open burns through the weekend and into Monday morning, Hanks said. That is because firefighting resources will be tied up on the fire near Electra Lake, she said.
“People don’t realize how dry conditions are right now,” Hanks said.
The fire was burning on private and state land. The cause is under investigation.
shane@durangoherald.com
