Lightning caused fire being managed on Pagosa Ranger District

Posted

By Gretchen Fitzgerald

Special to The SUN

The Devil Creek Fire is a lightning started fire, burning on Flat Iron Mesa, approximately 3 miles north of Chris Mountain on the Pagosa Ranger District.  Firefighting crews are managing the Devil Creek Fire.  Smoke from the fire will be visible for approximately the next 3-4 days.  The fire area is surrounded by roads and is not expected to burn more than 15-20 acres.

Fire management specialists will be managing the Devil Creek Fire in a way that allows for fire to return to its natural role on the landscape and enhance ecosystem resiliency, diversity and productivity. Wildland fires that are managed in this way can additionally reduce hazardous fuels (vegetation) loading which can mitigate future wildfire risk in an area, as well as reduce the exposure of wildland firefighters to unsafe conditions. Fire management tactics will therefore be indirect and include the use of point protection, as well as leave a minimal impact on the landscape.

For additional information, please contact Pagosa Ranger District 264-2268

Smoke from wildfires and prescribed fires may affect your health. For more information, please go to:https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health .

For information on prescribed burning on the San Juan National Forest, call 970 247-4874, visit the Forest Website at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/sanjuan/ , or follow us at:  https://twitter.com/SanJuanNF