Two homeowners are fortunate their homes are still standing after a brush fire threatened them Friday afternoon. And it was all a matter of good timing.
At about 3:30 p.m., wildland crews were en route to Station 6 of the Upper Pine Fire Protection District, which is near the intersection of County Roads 502 and 228, northeast of Elmore’s Corner. A resident called in a possible fire in an area south of County Road 502, and they were able to respond immediately.
“Crews were on scene in just a few minutes,” Upper Pine Chief Bruce Evans said, “and aggressively attacked the fire. We had a lot of resources immediately available that kept this fire small. Two homes immediately uphill from the fire without defensible space were evacuated.”
The initial attack crew found a fire in brush and timber about a quarter of a mile south of the road. Crews from both Upper Pine and the Columbine Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest responded and quickly contained the fire, which was held to less than an acre. Evans said 18 firefighters and support crew members were involved in the immediate response, bringing four fire engines, three water tenders and a hand crew.
Crew members were mopping up and monitoring hot spots by Friday evening. The two families were allowed back in their homes.
Evans said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
abutler@durangoherald.com
