U.S. Forest Service helicopter crews responded to a quarter-acre wildfire about 1 mile south of Engineer Mountain on Saturday.
Eight Helitack firefighters were on scene to tackle the blaze, officially called the Engineer Fire. The fire has not grown in size since a hiker reported it around 11 a.m. Personnel on scene have it under control as of late afternoon, said Lorena Williams, Forest Service spokeswoman.
“They got on scene quickly and there’s been no additional growth on the fire due to a quick response,” she said.
The majority of the San Juan National Forest has received measurable rain and snowfall in recent weeks, and fire danger is moderate. That means accidental fires are low in numbers and typically easy to control.
The Forest Service rescinded fire restrictions on the national forest Wednesday, which meant visitors to the forest can have campfires.
In spite of the rain, snow and increased humidity, San Juan National Forest officials remind visitors to always practice fire safety, remain diligent and prevent human-caused fire.
Visitors are encouraged to practice these principles of outdoor fire safety:
Clear all flammable material within 3 feet of campfire rings.Make a fire only if you have a shovel and sufficient water to put it out.Never leave a fire unattended.Keep fires small and manageable.Extinguish fires completely. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave. Every campfire should be put dead out before leaving it.
smullane@durangoherald.com
Clear all flammable material within 3 feet of campfire rings.Make a fire only if you have a shovel and sufficient water to put it out.Never leave a fire unattended.Keep fires small and manageable.Extinguish fires completely. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave. Every campfire should be put dead out before leaving it.
