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Smoke visible west of Durango; fire contained

Fire started in homeless camp

In an area prone to wildfires, the sight of smoke stops people in their tracks.

The smoke visible from downtown south of Hogsback to the west is from a fire that has been contained, Durango Fire Protection District tweeted at about 4:45 p.m.

Firefighters responded to a report of smoke on the hillside, DFPD Battalion Chief Mike Krupa said.

“We accessed it through the Tech Center and climbed up past the old dump,” he said. “We found the fire at a homeless camp, and investigators are on the scene.”

The fire burned some of the residents’ belongings, scrub oak and juniper and piñon trees, Krupa said, adding that the burning trees probably caused the smoke. Firefighters put the fire out with water and foam and had a line around it pretty quickly, within about 15 minutes.

Two brush trucks, a fire engine and about 12 personnel responded.

“We’ll be mopping up and looking for hot spots for the next hour or so,” Krupa said, “and I expect we’ll be out of here before dark.”

The fire occurred on La Plata County land just outside the city limits. The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office was also on the scene and is conducting the investigation.

abutler@durangoherald.com



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