Fires in NM and S Colo

[noFanofCB]

There is a very large fire north of Durango Colo. at the moment.

The TV news reported that US 550 is affected (closed) now and they said it may be closed until June 30.
That long a closure is likely a mistake but it serves as a warning that moving around the West this year might be affected by fires.

S. Colo and NM have had hardly any moisture this Spring and are prime for more huge fires.

When doing trip planning one would be well advised to have a Plan B and a Plan C and find ways to stay advised of closures.

[Midwest Michael]

The fire has also stopped all service on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad until at least June 10th, and even when it resumes, they will be using a diesel locomotive rather than their coal fired train because of the continued fire danger.

[DonnaR57]

Thanks for the heads up. We'll be heading east on I-40 within a few days and will keep abreast of the news.

My daughter, who recently moved to the Denver area, made a comment a couple of weeks ago when some fires were announced a couple of hundred miles from her: "But I thought we left the fire problem behind when we moved to a place with rain and snow!" Not hardly, darlin'. I don't think there's anyplace on the continent that isn't susceptible to brush and forest fires!


Donna

[noFanofCB]

Denver isn't really "a place with rain and snow." Only sometimes. 15" of moisture in a year, our normal rainfall, is near-desert. We've had about half that this year on average.

Our mountains burn regularly. The grasses out in the plains burn regularly. And if Colorado isn't burning we get the smoke from California or Idaho fires.

But right now the big threat is the southern part of the state which is officially in drought. Up here in the north we have "normal" levels of moisture - which will still burn.

At least we haven't done volcanoes in Colo. recently....