Firefighters say teenagers may have started a brush fire that burned about a quarter acre Sunday in Durango.
The blaze is a reminder that fire conditions are just as dangerous in city limits as they are in unincorporated La Plata County, said Karola Hanks, fire marshal for the Durango Fire Protection District.
“Sometimes, as a community, we become relaxed about the threat of a brush fire within city limits, because we live in the city, and wildland fire happens in the county,” Hanks said. “It just goes to show we’re just as dry in the city as we are in places in the county. We need to stay on top of that – be judicious, be careful.”
Fire investigators found matches close to the origin of the fire, and witnesses reported seeing teenagers drive away moments after the fire started, Hanks said. The Durango Police Department was talking to witnesses to piece together a description of the teenagers and the vehicle they were driving, she said.
No arrests had been made as of Monday morning. The 5 p.m. fire was quickly brought under control on Sunday.
Hanks credited Fort Lewis College students with using a garden hose to douse the blaze before it consumed a nearby garage.
“Kudos to those guys for doing that; I really want to thank them for doing that,” she said.
shane@durangoherald.com
