Firefighters were able to contain a small wildland fire in western La Plata County on Saturday, said
The fire was reported around 2:30 p.m. Friday near the 9000 block of County Road 136.
Lee said the fire grew to about 6 acres, burning sagebrush, grassland and piñon and juniper trees. By Saturday afternoon, the fire was contained and smoldering, he said.
“Wind caused it to jump and create a few spot fires last night,” Lee said. “But we were able to catch it and keep it down.”
As of 3 p.m. Saturday, firefighters were in the mop-up phase.
Lee said the cause of the fire hasn’t been officially determined yet, but authorities speculate it was caused by a lightning strike from a previous day, which was able to ignite and spread with Friday’s hot, dry conditions and high winds.
A pre-evacuation notice for a few homes in the area was lifted Saturday, he said.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
