To anyone thinking of vacationing in the Durango area

DurangoTaB

The “416” fire is one of the worst in the country because of it’s size, proximity to houses, the ski area, Durango city, and difficult terrain.  It will not be over soon.  Smoke in the mornings (til around noon) is thick and unhealthy...no hiking, biking, or even walking the dog.  The City is considering closing many of the city hiking trails due to concerns about smokers.  Effective today the San Juan National Forest is closed to all people & car traffic, indefinitely...the first time ever.  We are in an “exceptional” drought which isn’t expected to change any time soon (monsoons typically start in early July). The Narrow Gauge train has been stopped for a week and probably so for the rest of the month. Rt. 550 (the main road between Durango and Silverton) is closed.  So unless you’re just traveling through, e.g. to/from Pagosa, or headed toward Mesa Verde and Cortez, be aware of the extraordinary conditions here.  :-(


It’s always a mixed blessing...this is normally a Southwestern bluebird sky, but late this morning...no wind (yay!)...which means the stinky haze hangs around, but it’s so much better for the firefighters 7 miles north: 

jgram2

Thank you!

Ratkity

Be safe! Thank you for the extra information that the National news doesn't really mention.

pthomas745

Inciweb is an excellent source for fire info across the US.  Here is their 416 Fire page.

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5822/

DurangoTaB

@pthomas745...thanks for the reminder.  The best source of up-to-date info for us has been Facebook: “@416fire”

cbarnhill

Thanks, JD.  We were booked for the cayton CG which is now closed until July 2nd. So we are now headed for pagosa springs. 

DurangoTaB

Cindy...happy camping at beautiful Pagosa Springs!  Where are you staying?  One of the RV parks along 160, or one of the FS campgrounds (Williams Creek, West/East Fork)?

ColoradoJon

I was curious how you were faring out there, @DurangoTaB.  I was evacuated for two weeks during the Hayman fire back in 2002, and then got to witness the horror of the Waldo Canyon fire in 2012.  I don't envy you at all right now.

This morning I commented to my wife that it smelled like a campfire outside, and the sky was super hazy.  That's all from 416.  Even here at work in Cripple Creek the sky is hazy.  It's going to be one of those summers...

jkjenn

I saw that La Plata County initiated  Stage 3 fire restrictions, closing trails, today, too. 

It appears that so far Haviland Lake CG has been spared. Firefighters are doing an amazing job protecting structures with back burns and the treme food effort put into pre-positioning, creating defensible space, and other fire management tactics have been the most effective that I have observed. 

Keeping the firefighters and community members in my prayers for rain and calm winds. I was watching the live news conference when the Waldo Canyon fire exploded and it was really frightening. I also have a friend who narrowly escape the Chimney Tops fire in Gatlinburg as his home and the forest around it was up on flames while he stood in his driveway with no way out. 

J.D. and Sue are great people. Hoping for the best for them, their furry friends, and neighbors.

jkjenn

FYI, the San Juan NF also impacts you if you were planning on camping in the Ouray area and also the Telluride side of Last Dollar Rd, and the NF CGs around Telluride, Lizard Head, Trout Lake, all of the way down to Dolores. In addition, many state and country areas are closed.
 
The moral of the story is: call ahead. And pray for rain.

pthomas745

The good news is the humidities will be increasing the next few days: 

The trough across the northwest deepens Friday into Saturday
driving high pressure to the Panhandle region and opening the
forecast to an influx of subtropical moisture from the south. In
fact, remnants of Hurricane Bud may reach the south on Saturday
bringing the potential for widespread wetting rain across the
area with locally heavy rain possible. This could result in debris
flows off the 416 and Burro fire scars. On the plus side, the area
should see temperatures cool below seasonal norms after the
prolonged period of warmer than normal readings.

jkjenn

Yes...and rain! 

dsatwork

I lived in Denver for close to 30 years and never saw droughts like this.

jkjenn

I am hoping it doesn't end like it did in 2013 stationary front dumping buckets of rain over the front range and ravaging Lyons, Big Thompson ,Cayon. Ward, Nederland, etc...

Praying for rain.

Smullis7

Hoping the best for you DurangoTaB.  Like ColoradoJon, I witnessed the Waldo Canyon fire and Black Forest fires here.  Phantom Canyon already had a fire and our ranch in Cotopaxi is dry as a tinderbox.  Miller Creek, which flows thru our property has already dried up just south of us!  We need rain BAD!  And as I say that, Colorado Springs was hit by another killer hail storm like the one that turned my brand new, 30-hour old T@B into a golf ball two years ago!!

DurangoTaB

Sheila...so sorry to hear your stories!  Sadly, too many can relate.  My wife lived through the Hayman Fire like Jon :-(. Let’s hope Bud brings some relief to all of us.  Not much encouraging news here...fire is still spreading, and the focus is keeping control so it doesn’t reach Durango.  🤞🙏

cbarnhill

DurangoTaB said:

Cindy...happy camping at beautiful Pagosa Springs!  Where are you staying?  One of the RV parks along 160, or one of the FS campgrounds (Williams Creek, West/East Fork)?

We’re staying at one of the ones on 160. We’re just glad to find something-it’s so hard to find campground reservations. We had booked cayton CG back in March. 

DurangoTaB

I didn’t realize until after I sent that note that the FS campgrounds in/around Pagosa were affected by the San Juan shutdown...Willams Creek (a great spot), East/West Fork campgrounds, and anything off-road.  Safe travels Cindy!

The poor West...

Ratkity

Wow, just wow! Careful everyone!!! You're important.

Michigan_Mike

Wish we could reroute some of the moisture received here in Michigan to the western slope!  

jkjenn

Michigan_Mike said:

Wish we could reroute some of the moisture received here in Michigan to the western slope!  

Ditto.. for Western PA. 

rtolan

Yes, all forest service campgrounds around Pagosa are closed - all still within the San Juan National forest. If you go east on highway 160 over Wolf Creek Pass you will enter the Rio Grande national forest and it is still open. Fire danger is extreme so no campfires allowed. Be safe and very careful!