A look back to last week’s best photos
A heavy tanker drops a load of retardant during the Lightner Creek Fire on June 28. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Durango Fire Protection District firefighters try to control a structure fire on June 28, during the Lightner Creek Fire. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A heavy tanker drops a load of retardant during the Lightner Creek Fire on June 28. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A structure fire on Lightner Creek Road west of Durango on June 28, quickly spread into the surrounding forest. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A structure fire on Lightner Creek Road west of Durango on June 28, quickly spread into the surrounding forest, burning an estimated 100 acres that day. The fire eventually burned 412 acres and was 95% contained by July 3. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Fire retardant floats to the ground after being dropped by a tanker plane during the Lightner Creek Fire on June 28. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Durango Fire Protection District firefighters set up structure protection on June 28, during the Lightner Creek Fire. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A single engine air tanker drops its load of fire retardant high above the Lightner Creek Fire on June 28, evening after a drone was reported flying in the area causing all air support to stop. The retardant was released at too high of an altitude to be useful. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A helicopter heads to pick up water on June 28, from a small pond in the valley near the Lightner Creek Fire west of Durango. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A one-seater drops a load of retardant during the Lightner Creek Fire on June 28. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
The Lightner Creek Fire burned this hillside, as seen during a tour on June 29, near Lightner Creek Road (County Road 207) west of Durango. The fire prompted the evacuation of about 170 homes, and several neighborhoods were put on pre-evacuation notice. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Rolf Keeper is all smiles after dropping a few things off at his house on County Road 206. Evacuation orders related to the Lightner Creek Fire were lifted June 30 for residents on the road. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Donald and Marlene Pixler were relieved that they could move back into their home on County Road 206 on June 30, after an evacuation order for that road had been lifted. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Michel Poumay cooks his authentic crepes inside his wagon-shaped restaurant on the corner of College Drive and Main Avenue. Poumay was trained in French cooking at the Ecole Hoteliere de Liege-Culinary in Belgium. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Dewa Ilg, 9, is the first person to reach the top of the Sky Steps near Rim Drive on June 27, during the grand opening of the steps. Trails 2000 volunteers rebuilt the trail, putting in place about 500 steps that connect downtown Durango to Fort Lewis College. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About a 100 people climbed the Sky Steps near Rim Drive on June 27, during the grand opening of the trail. Trails 2000 volunteers rebuilt the trail with about 500 steps that connect downtown Durango to Fort Lewis College. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Fellow climbers cheer on each other as they reach the top of Sky Steps near Rim Drive on June 27, during the grand opening of the trail. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Shari Erickson looks over maps recently at her La Plata County home that she has spent the past eight years updating. She uses USGS topographical maps and overlays additional data, such as houses, roads, campsites and hiking trails. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Rosa Sabido, a Mexican national, sits inside of the United Methodist Church in Mancos on June 26, where she has sought sanctuary against deportation. She has lived in Cortez for 30 years. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Sandy Young’s dog sits in the shade on June 28, on her ranch in the Animas Valley. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Sandy Young, a rancher in the Animas Valley, makes the summer’s first cutting of hay June 28. Young said she may have to lessen hay production and raise more animals because of recent sharp increase in property assessments on agricultural lands. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
