Beaver Creek fire continuse to grow

Beaver Creek fire continues to grow

Oct 20, 2001

The Beaver Creek Fire 10 miles northeast of Dolores has grown to 350 acres, according to the Dolores Public Lands Office of the San Juan National Forest.

The fire, which was ignited by lightning last week, is being allowed to burn within the confines of Beaver Creek Canyon, which is west of the Dolores-Norwood Road (FDR 526) and east of FDR 238 on the northwest rim of Beaver Creek.

Several firefighters and engines are controlling the fire along the rim road with back-burning operations. Firefighter safety is a major concern and one of the reasons why crews are not trying to suppress the fire down in the canyon.

"Due to the steep conditions and heavy cured oak brush down in the canyon, no one will be sent down into a potentially dangerous situation," said Allen Farnsworth, fire-mitigation specialist out of the Durango Public Lands Center, in a press release.

He said fire is "a natural and beneficial component of the forest environment, and currently the Beaver Creek fire is adding to those benefits." Such benefits include reducing hazardous-fuel buildups that may cause more serious problems in the future when conditions are drier, and improving deer and elk habitat by creating openings in the dense stands of trees to allow sunlight to stimulate the growth of grass and forbs.

Additional firefighters and fire engines were ordered for Thursday and Friday to help monitor and control the blaze.

According to Farnsworth, smoke should diminish over the next several days as weather conditions moderate and the fire moves into lighter fuels.

Other prescribed burns and small wildfires in the Four Corners area are also contributing to smoke in the area.