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Lightning-Caused Wildfire Burns Near McPhee

A lightning-sparked wildfire continued to burn Friday in the San Juan National Forest about three miles north of McPhee Dam near the Dry Creek Recreation Area. The Hoppe Point Fire was estimated at 30 acres Friday afternoon. Supervisory forest technician Mike Bryson of the Forest Service tells KSJD the blaze made a strong push Thursday, fueled by sustained winds of about 40 miles per hour. But lesser winds, cloud cover and a bit of precipitation then moderated the fire. Bryson says no structures were threatened and the fire was burning in a mix of piñon-juniper, ponderosa pine and Gambel oak. About 60 personnel were working to suppress the blaze, including two crews with the Forest Service as well as crews from the Cortez, Upper Pine, and Archuleta County fire protection districts. No closures were in place Friday. Smoke was visible from Cortez, Dolores, and Dove Creek.

Gail Binkly is a career journalist who has worked for the Colorado Springs Gazette and Cortez Journal, and was the editor of the Four Corners Free Press, based in Cortez.
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