by Eric Mullens
HUERFANO COUNTY — On Monday, July 22, area fire departments responded to the Four-Mile Canyon fire in the southern portion of Huerfano County, bordering on Las Animas County.
According to Lori Cordova, spokesperson for the Huerfano County Office of Emergency Management a fire line was established around the perimeter of the two acre fire by 16 firefighters representing Huerfano County Fire Protection District, La Veta Fire Protection District and the Boncarbo Fire Department.
Cordova announced after 8 pm Monday the fire had been 100 percent contained and 99 percent controlled.
A pre-evacuation order for the Blackhawk subdivision was lifted Monday night.
Crews were back on the incident Tuesday for mop-up, said Fred Partee of the HCFPD. The fire was previously reported as a “grass fire” but was actually a surface fire burning in “mixed conifer and scrub oak” with moderate fuel loading, he said. Partee said this type of ‘forest fire takes extensive mop up and is obviously much more labor intensive than the lighter grass fuel component fires.
The fire was contained with traditional 18″ handline construction as well as a hose lay into the fire for water support. The fire size remained at two acres on Tuesday and Partee said fire officials anticipated full control by 6 pm on Wednesday.
Jerant said lightning is the suspected cause of the fire, but the exact point of ignition had not been discovered by late in the week.
No injuries were reported and no structures damaged in the fire.
East Peak Fire update:
The East Peak Fire is officially controlled said HFPD Chief Gerald Jerant in a press release from the county office of emergency management on Tuesday, July 23, 2013.
The BLM conducted a scene survey Monday
afternoon and reported the fire to be fully controlled and contained. No smokes or flare ups have been reported for over a week. Recent heavy rains over the burn area have been a great help. A few minor smokers may appear from time to time in the upper reaches along the East Peak, these are normal, fully contained, and should burn out on their own or will be extinguished by winter snows, said the press release on Tuesday.
The East Peak Fire started on June 19, 2013.
