With conditions drying across much of the central Colorado Rockies, the fire season is inching forward on the calendar into springtime. Already multiple smaller blazes, including a quickly-controlled brush fire in Chaffee County on March 22, have occurred. On Saturday a fire began near Gypsum, between Dotsero and Edwards in Eagle County.
Campfires are a mainstay of camping, but poorly managed fires are a significant risk for major wildfires. Image: Unsplash/Colter Olmstead.
The fire was fanned by high winds, and its nearness to homes prompted an evacuation order for residents and businesses along U.S. 6 past mile marker 140 in Gypsum. The location gave it it’s name: the Duck Pond Fire.
But good firefighting prevailed and a little more than 24 hours after the Duck Pond Fire ignited, on Sunday evening, the area’s residents were allowed to return to their evacuated homes.
As reported first by the Eagle County PIO Facebook Page, then picked up by the Vail Daily, “Overall it was a really good, successful day for the firefighters out there,” announced Hugh Fairfield-Smith, Type 3 incident commander trainee. “They were able to continue to mop up and secure the area to continue to make sure that it was safe for residents in the entire subdivision.”
With concerns growing over the continued drought in the West and heightened wildfire danger, Governor Jared Polis and the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) Director Mike Morgan are planning an overview of the 2022 wildfire outlook and preparedness plan for the State of Colorado. The event is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 22 and Ark Valley Voice will be attending the event. The DFPC is part of the Colorado Division of Public Safety.
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