Lightner Creek Fire Update July 2, 2017 - 8:30 a.m.

Lightner Creek Fire Update 

July 2, 2017 - 8:30 a.m. 

Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team Black 

Shane Greer, Incident Commander 

Information Center: (970) 335-8084 

Hours of Operation: 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. 

Current Situation: Containment of the Lightner Creek Fire has increased to 89 percent. The fire’s size has increased slightly to 406 acres. Crews were able to make excellent progress on building containment lines despite the challenging terrain. A drone flying in the fire area temporarily halted air operations on Saturday, but helicopters eventually resumed flying by the afternoon to support firefighters on the ground. On Saturday evening, residents on County Road 207, north of the intersection of County Road 207/208, were allowed to return home. Additionally, all pre-evacuation notices are now lifted. 

On Sunday, firefighters will continue to build and secure existing containment lines around the fire. Smoke may still be visible within the fire perimeter at times, and should not be a concern to residents or visitors in the area. All remaining evacuated residents will be allowed to return home as of Sunday morning. This includes residents of County Roads 207 and 208, north of U.S. Highway 160. 

Weather: The forecast calls for continued hot and dry conditions. Winds are expected to increase on Sunday, with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. 

Safety: Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), or drones, are not allowed over wildland fire operations. They pose a serious risk to pilots, firefighters, and the public. A drone can be fatal to firefighting pilots and firefighters working to suppress the fire. Unauthorized drones also disrupt and delay firefighting efforts. 

While residents may return home, County Roads 207 and 208 remain closed to the public. This remains an active fire area, with firefighting operations under way. Please do not disrupt fire operations or obstruct equipment. 

Closures: All recreation trails in the “Test Tracks” west of downtown Durango remain closed; including Hogsback, Leyden and Hidden Valley trails. The Bureau of Land Management and Colorado Parks and Wildlife have closures in place on public lands east of County Road 208. U.S. Forest Service trails in the Dry Fork area leaving the Colorado Trail into the above referenced closure are marked with signs indicating the fire closures in the Perins Peak area. 

Fire Restrictions: Several Fire Restrictions are in place in the area. Please visit http://www.coemergency.com/p/fire-bans-danger.html for a complete listing of fire restrictions in Colorado. 

Lightner Creek Fire 

Start Date: June 28 

InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5298/ 

Location: 4.25 miles WNW of Durango 

Email: lightnercreekfireinfo@gmail.com 

Size: 406 acres F

acebook: https://www.facebook.com/BLMMontroseFireUnit/ 

Percent Contained: 89 

Twitter: #lightnercreekfire 

Cause: Structure; spread to wildland 

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