Dolores County

The Stoner Mesa Fire burning in Dolores County has reached nearly 9,900 acres and is 27 percent contained. Crews are battling flare-ups along the western edge as aircraft drop retardant and ground crews strengthen firelines. Evacuation warnings remain in place for parts of County Road 38, nearby campgrounds, and along the Highway 145 corridor. Dry thunderstorms and gusty winds are expected to challenge containment efforts through the weekend.

Fire crews strengthen containment and structure protection on the 7,400-acre Stoner Mesa Fire, focusing on communities along County Road 38 and Highway 145.

Fire crews, meteorologists, and officials brief Rico residents on Stoner Mesa Fire status, protection measures, and evacuation readiness.

The Stoner Mesa Fire in Montezuma and Dolores counties grows to 7,123 acres with 0% containment as crews battle wind-driven flames and protect structures.

As wildfires continue to rampage throughout the West, local areas are adopting tougher fire restrictions.

Heat and drought are helping spread wildfires in the Four Corners area and across the West.

De los cinco condados que componen la Región 9, el condado de Montezuma resulta el menos caro para una familia de cuatro.

Montezuma County attorney Ian MacLaren has been appointed judge for the Dolores County Court, and wolverines may return to Colorado.

Later this month, Montezuma and Dolores counties will be transitioning to a new emergency alert system called Everbridge. Both counties and the Cortez Police Department will make the change from using the Nixle alert system to Everbridge. The switch comes after recent shootings in Cortez and flooding in Dolores this past spring exposed weaknesses in the old system. Vicki Shaffer, the public information coordinator for Montezuma County, says that the upgrade will mean officials will be able to target specific neighborhoods during an emergency when sending out alerts. And Colorado House District 32 has a new Representative at the statehouse.

Last Wednesday, Montezuma Land Conservancy, or MLC, was awarded a grant to help protect a 3,000 acre ranch in Dolores County. The grant from the nonprofit Great Outdoors Colorado will help with the costs associated with conserving land like the Ivins Ranch, which is located near Groundhog Reservoir. The conserved land would directly border public lands like the Lone Cone State Wildlife Area and the McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area. According to James Reimann, the conservation director for MLC, the newly protected area could help provide wildlife like elk and lynx with a corridor to safely travel across.