The end may be in sight for firefighters working to put out the Little Devil Fire between Bayfield and Pagosa Springs.
The blaze that began with a lightning strike Aug. 18 had burned 48 acres and was 70 percent contained as of Saturday, a news release from the Pagosa Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest said. Officials were expecting full containment by Sunday, and the fire was expected to be completely controlled by Aug. 30.
A crew of 66 firefighters was mopping up the fire Saturday, and both equipment and personnel were being demobilized and reassigned to other fires, the release said.
There are still some hot spots in the interior of the blaze, but, according to the release, they pose no threat of spreading outside containment lines.
While firefighters are in the homestretch of closing down the Little Devil Fire, it is possible that smoke may be visible from U.S. Highway 160 and Colorado State Highway 151.
According to the news release, Forest Service Road 626, Devil Mountain Road, has reopened to public travel, but Forest Service Road 627 that accesses Devil Creek State Wildlife Area remains closed.
katie@durangoherald.com
