Another fire...?!

[alexpgp]

A new fire has broken out near South Fork, which is north of Pagosa Springs on Highway 160. It's been called the "Million" and is currently 0% "contained."


I've taken the liberty of editing a MapQuest map for this, my personal journal, showing what I believe to be the locations of both the Missionary Ridge fire (which is now apparently the most severe fire in the state) and the "new kid on the block." Fortunately, nothing seems to have happened in Pagosa in my absence thus far, and I will feel better once I am back home.

Cheers...

Comments

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

Arson?

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

I do not know. The Missionary Ridge fire has been classified as having been caused by humans. For it to be arson, the act would have to be deliberate, as I understand it (as the state contends in its case against the forestry worker who claims to have been emotionally agitated when she burned a letter from her estranged husband, which would probably be classed as first degree stupidity, except that the husband denies having written such a letter, and investigators have found no traces of such a letter at the ignition point of the fire).

We had a small fire in Pagosa shortly before I came down. It was quashed by three air "strikes", but was apparently caused by some teens who did not do a thorough job of putting out their wiener roast (and who violated the prohibition against open fires to begin with).

My understanding is that fires in remote wooded areas are generally due to human action or lightning (although there was a case last year of a series of small fires out along where my friend Alex F. lives, which was attributed to meteor fragments reaching the earth [go figure]).

Cheers...

[vuzh.livejournal.com]

i've heard tell that there is another new one further north, by Meeker.

i haven't confirmed that yet, but Estes Park was flooded with smoke today, and we've had none until today.