(Pagosa Springs, CO) – The Fremont County Fire Protection District (FCFPD), Lander Volunteer Fire Department (LVFD), and the Jeffrey City Volunteer Fire Department (JCVFD) are all assisting with the Chris Mountain Fire in Pagosa Springs, CO, according to a post shared on the FCFPD Facebook page on June 29.
FCFPD sent out two crews that include a Type 6 Brush Truck and a Type 3 Urban Interface Engine, which are manned by FCFPD, LVFD and JCVFD members, the post states.
“The Chris Mountain Fire on the San Juan National Forest Pagosa Ranger District was reported on June 28th, 2023 at 3:00pm,” according to the fire description on InciWeb. “The 120-acre fire is burning on Chris Mountain, located approximately 12 miles west of Pagosa Springs, north of Highway 160.”
The fire was reportedly caused by lightning, and is currently 0% contained.
The most recent InciWeb update on the fire, shared midday today, is below.
“Fire managers have confirmed that fire has been kept out of the Devil Creek drainage and the fire held within yesterday’s retardant lines. A Type 1 Helicopter and a Large Airtanker are focused on dropping water and retardant on the east flank of the fire, continuing to prioritize keeping fire out of the drainage. There is strong competition locally and throughout the country for aviation resources as emerging wildfires are on the rise.
“The local San Juan National Forest Type 3 Incident Management Team will took command of the fire in the morning on June 29th. They will be implementing an area closure for public and firefighter safety. We ask that the public stay clear of the fire area. We are working hard to produce a map for the public. This is an emerging incident with many priorities, so we appreciate your patience as we pull together materials. A Complex Incident Management Team has been ordered, and will take command of the fire at a time yet to be determined.“