The San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado has been hit hard by the 416 Fire in recent weeks. So far it has claimed over 30,000 acres near in and around the town of Hermosa, CO which is near Durango, CO.
Amazingly, even though over 1,000 homes were evacuated, no structures have been lost due to the hard work and heroic efforts by the firefighters and first responders. Then God helped out in a big way by sending us the perfect rainstorm, a remnant of Hurricane Bud, which made a rare appearance to our area just in time to help squelch the fire. We hardly ever get rain in June which was a real answer to prayers.
Before the rains came, all public lands were closed off to the public including the San Juan National Forest which includes the famed Ice Lakes Basin among many other beautiful hiking destinations. Due the perfect steady rain for two days and the fact that it was the perfect amount, not too much to flood the burned scared slopes, but just enough to significantly diminish the fire and help out with our severe drought we are going through, all public land is now open!
I quickly took advantage of the reopening which came way earlier than expected and found that the wildflowers were already in full bloom in the alpine despite the drought conditions.
The San Juan National Forest and surrounding area including Durango, CO and Silverton, CO are completely open for all to enjoy…
Here’s a link to the fire column that hit Hermosa, CO –
416 Fire video link to fire column Hermosa, CO
- 416 Fire Hermosa, CO raging June 9th
- 416 Fire Beauty and the Beast
- Tornado like rotating column of smoke and fire Hermosa, CO far
- 416 Fire Tornado like rotating column of smoke and fire Hermosa, CO close
- 416 Fire Tornado like rotating column of smoke and fire Hermosa, CO medium distance
- 416 Fire Tornado like rotating column of smoke and fire Hermosa, CO far
- 416 Tornado like rotating column of smoke and fire Hermosa, CO far
- 416 Fire Helicopter fighting blaze at Hermosa, CO
- DC 10 Air-tanker dropping load on 416 FIre
- Air-tanker dropping load on 416 Fire Hermosa, CO
- 416 Fire Hermosa, CO late evening
- 416 Fire Hermosa CO after dark
- 416 Fire above Falls Creek Durango CO
- 416 Fire above Falls Creek
- 416 Fire crossing Hermosa Creek threatening Falls Creek sunset
- 416 Fire above Falls Creek with Hawk in tree
- 416 Fire above Falls Creek with DC10 air tanker diving in smoke clouds
- 416 Fire Lake Tahoe Fire and Rescue and Agnes Mercy hospital RN
- 416 Fire Firefighters coning back from shift with Agnes Mercy hospital RN
- 416 Fire causing smoky skies each morning in Durango CO
- 416 Fire causing smoky skies each morning in Durango CO