A small fire sparked up close to Relay Station Road east of Bayfield near the La Plata County line early Saturday, burning only 90% of an acre in the San Juan National Forest before the U.S. Forest Service completely contained it.

“We had resources on it almost immediately,” said Esther Godson, spokeswoman for the San Juan National Forest.

Five fire engines and a hand crew of 20 people arrived on scene soon after the fire picked up. An aircraft was available less than five minutes away but it was not needed, Godson said.

Extreme fire conditions such as unusually high temperatures and plenty of dry fuel in the form of trees and grasses meant the Forest Service has been “ready with a lot of resources” to combat fires in the area, Godson said.

In these conditions, something as simple as sparks from a flat tire or a chain from a trailer dragging on the road could have caused the roadside fire, Godson said. While it was human-caused, firefighters are still looking into the source.

A campground further up the road was not affected.

ehayes@durangoherald.com