Wildfire - The Durango Herald

Burnouts on 441 Fire a success, Forest Service says

Blaze on Missionary Ridge grows to 300 acres

DATE: Jul 19, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Heavy smoke may be visible with 441 Fire ‘burnout’ operations

Lightning-caused wildfire burning north of Durango

DATE: Jul 18, 2019 | CATEGORY: Pine River Times news

Heavy smoke may be visible with 441 Fire ‘burnout’ operations

Lightning-caused wildfire burning north of Durango

DATE: Jul 18, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Fire on Missionary Ridge allowed to burn for fire management purposes

Forest Service says blaze will help prevent future wildfires

DATE: Jul 17, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Forest Service declares Doe Canyon Fire contained

Fire will improve health of landscape

DATE: Jul 16, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Lightning sparks two small fires on Missionary Ridge

Firefighters to assess situation at both blazes

DATE: Jul 14, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Agencies boost efforts to stop wildland firefighter suicides

BOISE, Idaho – Shane Del Grosso spent some 30 summers crossing smoke-shrouded mountains and forests to fight increasingly devastating wildfires in the U.S. West. Toward the end, h...

DATE: Jul 14, 2019 | CATEGORY: Regional News

San Juan Forest reopens roads near Doe Canyon Fire

Management of blaze now with local forest firefighters

DATE: Jul 11, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Fire dispatchers choreograph emergency response on federal lands

Center tracks lightning strikes, organizes air response and calls in the Gatorade

DATE: Jul 10, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

What’s next for D&SNG in $25 million federal lawsuit?

Case could take years to settle or go to trial, experts say

DATE: Jul 5, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Durango railroad’s liability for 416 Fire worries economic leaders

‘It will all come down to what the insurance will cover’

DATE: Jul 2, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Firefighters fuel Doe Canyon Fire

The lightning-sparked wildfire grew to at least 675 acres by Friday evening

DATE: Jun 29, 2019 | CATEGORY: Local News

Colorado history gets weird, wild, wacky at Fashion Do’s and Don’tsAnnual Snowdown event has become so popular, auditions are now required

Cowboys. Fancy ladies. Gold miners. Even-toed ungulates that some in Durango might consider more like rats.Where can you find a runway show that takes you on a whirlwind tour through the weird, wacky and wildly exaggerated 150 years of Colorado history? Only at Durango’s annual Fashion Do’s and Don’ts, held Wednesday, where models and audience members wore costumes celebrating Colorado’s sesquicentennial – the theme of this year’s two-week Snowdown celebration.Standout acts included the Ghosts of Durango, which featured four of Durango’s most famous ghosts: a Rochester hotel ghost in a Victorian get-up of a more “modern” variation; the Strater Hotel’s head of housekeeping, also head of more discreet services; a young girl haunting El Rancho’s bathroom; and Sheriff Bob Thompson, killed in a 1906 gunfight. according to emcee Suzan Lane. A Another act was the Secret Circus Society, featuring Rubi Starr, Jeni Gross, Tabatha Joy Bettin, Adrienne Young and Ethan Deffenbaugh dressed as a car and the roadside pests better known as deer. Group members said the inspiration for the costume came from lived experiences driving Durango roads. The two-person Cantine Couture act starred Leslie Ponce and Tyler Frakes in an homage to the plentiful variety of Mexican restaurants found in any Colorado town. Ponce, dressed in comically large Mexican pointy cowboy boots, ambled down the runway as if taking a stroll under the hot, dusty, high-altitude sun, while Frakes flitted about the stage in a bright yellow salsa dress. Ponce said this year’s costume had been tough to decide, but the final decision was inspired by TikTok videos of Mexican cowboys in pointy boots. This was the duo’s third year strutting down the runway. Why they keep coming back for more, Frakes said laughing, was, “for the fame, the glory and the attention.”

Fashion Do’s and Don’ts has been one of the most highly anticipated Snowdown events since its inception in the 1990s. It has more than doubled in size over the past several decades. Last year, there were a record number of models, and in order to keep the event at a manageable size, this year’s fashion show was the first one to require the acts to audition. But many of the models were unfazed by the change. “It was actually easy,” said Jodi Zuber, one part of the two-person duo that made up the 1950s Texas Invader Ski Couple. Her partner-in-costume, Danny Jaques, said they had been doing this for several years, and it’s good with everything going on in the world to “get some levity and let your hair down.” The performers were not the only ones in costume. Audience members also dressed in a wide variety of unique takes on what makes Colorado, Colorado. JonBenet Ramsey made a miraculous appearance, being played by an 82-year-old woman, as did Casa Bonita, an ensemble that included a taco, sopaipilla and gorilla in chains – to name some of the characters. By the end of the show, people were in high spirits, as usual. “It was just delightful,” said a first-time audience member. If blessed with the chance to get the much coveted tickets – he said he would jump on it. jbowman@durangoherald.com

Annual Snowdown event has become so popular, auditions are now required

Photos: Snowdown 2026 Fashion Do’s and Don’ts

Photos: Durango High School basketball teams lose to Montrose High School

Photos: Local girls high school wrestling at La Plata TriDurango girls wrestling went 2-0 to win Tri on Thursday night at Bayfield

Durango girls wrestling went 2-0 to win Tri on Thursday night at Bayfield

Photos: Fort Lewis College women’s and men’s basketball take on Westminster UniversityBoth Skyhawks teams were victorious on Saturday afternoon

Both Skyhawks teams were victorious on Saturday afternoon

Photos: An afternoon in 2004 with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell as he works on Capitol HillDurango Herald Photo Editor Jerry McBride had the chance to spend an afternoon with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2004, photographing him during meetings and around the Capitol.

Durango Herald Photo Editor Jerry McBride had the chance to spend an afternoon with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2004, photographing him during meetings and around the Capitol.

Photos and video: ICE protests return to DurangoAbout a dozen protesters tried to block federal agents from leaving with a detainee on Thursday

About a dozen protesters tried to block federal agents from leaving with a detainee on Thursday

The Durango Herald’s year in photos 2025

Photos: Chapman Hill fires up the snow guns

Burnouts on 441 Fire a success, Forest Service says

Heavy smoke may be visible with 441 Fire ‘burnout’ operations

Heavy smoke may be visible with 441 Fire ‘burnout’ operations

Fire on Missionary Ridge allowed to burn for fire management purposes

Forest Service declares Doe Canyon Fire contained

Lightning sparks two small fires on Missionary Ridge

Agencies boost efforts to stop wildland firefighter suicides

San Juan Forest reopens roads near Doe Canyon Fire

Fire dispatchers choreograph emergency response on federal lands

What’s next for D&SNG in $25 million federal lawsuit?

Durango railroad’s liability for 416 Fire worries economic leaders

Firefighters fuel Doe Canyon Fire

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