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3d ago

Two Wildfires Near Durango Trigger Evacuation Orders

Dry, hot conditions have fueled rapid fire growth that prompted authorities to deploy air tankers for containment efforts.

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The Elkhorn fire burning northeast of Durango started as a structure fire on Saturday, July 26, 2025, fire officials said. (Photo courtesy of Elkhorn Fire Information)

Overview

  • The Elkhorn fire began as a structure blaze at about 5 p.m. Saturday and has spread to 145 acres on county and U.S. Forest Service land east of Highway 550 with no containment.
  • The Rim Road fire along County Road 318 on the Southern Ute Reservation has consumed roughly 112 acres and led to pre-evacuation alerts and shutdowns of nearby wells and natural gas lines.
  • La Plata County emergency officials have issued mandatory and pre-evacuation orders across zones including Elkhorn Mountain Road, County Road 253 and parts of the San Juan National Forest.
  • Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch has deployed air tankers and ground crews to build containment lines aimed at protecting homes and tribal infrastructure.
  • A persistent drought and limited monsoon rainfall have exacerbated fire behavior and stretched firefighting resources already engaged on other major western Colorado blazes.