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July 31, 2001 Journal Staff Report A lightning-sparked fire that began July 9 near Plateau Creek north of Dolores has grown to between 400 and 500 acres, but there is no cause for alarm, say officials with the San Juan National Forest. The slow-moving blaze has been designated a "resource-benefit fire," meaning it is being monitored and allowed to burn, in order to enhance natural resources and reduce future fire danger. "It’s burning in the pine-oak zone, mostly on the ground in the shrubs," said Toni Kelly, visitor-information specialist with the Mancos-Dolores Ranger District. "Initially there were about 25 ponderosa pines killed, but now it’s pretty much lying on the ground." She said the fire is burning on the west side of Plateau Creek, east of Dry Canyon and west of Beaver Creek above McPhee Reservoir. "We want it to clear the shrubs and open up seed beds for more pine seedlings and create more forage," she said. There are a few minor concerns, she said. One is that, if the fire continues to spread, it could approach nests where goshawks, which are a species of concern on the forest, have fledglings. If that happens, fire crews will make sure the blaze avoids the nests, Kelly said. There are also some ancient rock shelters that could be threatened by the fire if the wind blows it to the northeast, she said. Two archaeologists are standing by and fire crews will back-burn any threatened areas with cultural sites, she said. So far, the smoke has been traveling to the northeast, and no towns should be affected by it, she said. "It has been kind of lying down on the lake in the early morning, but it disperses by late morning," she said. Fire crews are checking the fire regularly and flew over it in a helicopter Monday morning to assess it. They have said its "maximum management area" would be approximately 3,000 acres and would lie in an area bounded by West Trimble Point Road (FDR 510) on the west, FDR Road 524 on the east, the Salter Y Road (514) on the north, and Carlisle Point on the south. The fire will not be allowed to cross Beaver Creek, she said. For more information, contact the Dolores Public Land Office at 882-7296. |
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Copyright © 2001 the Cortez
Journal. All rights reserved. |
