DURANGO, Colo. (AP) - The fire danger was high across much of western Colorado again Wednesday as crews battled a lightning-sparked wildfire about 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Durango.
The East Canyon Fire broke out Sunday and has led to the evacuation of more than two dozen homes. The fire was last estimated to be burning on 4.2 square miles (10.9 square kilometers) Monday evening. A spokesperson for the Bureau of Land Management, Pam Wilson, told The Durango Herald that the fire was 5% contained as of Tuesday evening but that no new estimate of its fire was done as the fire management team was transitioned. Fire behavior was more moderate than expected, she said.
About 23 homes in Montezuma County and about another 15 homes in La Plata County have been evacuated because of the fire as of Tuesday.
Air tankers had to be diverted to attack a new wildfire that broke out near Bondad on Tuesday but Wilson said there should be enough resources in the region to respond to fires.
“The fire managers down here have been planning for this,” she said. “Because of the drought and COVID-19, they requested severity funding, which allows them to bring in extra resources.”
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