wildfire

Fire officials say the Babylon Fire’s rapid growth was driven by lightning, drought, dry fuels, steep terrain and Red Flag conditions. Crews are preparing lines near Monticello-area values at risk, but officials said no evacuations were in place at the time of a Blanding community meeting.

The Ferris Fire northwest of Dolores continues to grow as evacuations continue. In southeastern Utah, the Babylon Fire has destroyed four structures and prompted a closure of the Monticello Ranger District.

Evacuation orders remain in place as the Ferris, Far Draw and Doe Canyon fires burn in western Montezuma and Dolores counties. Additional fires are also active in southeastern Utah.

Local officials and watershed groups say wildfire preparedness in southwest Colorado includes emergency alerts, evacuation planning, defensible space, forest health and post-fire watershed risks.

The Colorado River Wildfire Collaborative hired a program manager to raise funds for mitigation work between Glenwood Springs and De Beque. That region is one of the most fire-prone in the state, and has lacked the resources to address the risk.

The Montezuma County commissioners have reinstated a fire ban in the unincorporated areas of the county. Also on Tuesday, they approved a contract for up to $15,000 with USDA Wildlife Services.

Showers and thunderstorms are expected across the Four Corners today, with gusty winds, small hail and isolated heavy rain possible before hotter, drier weather returns later this week.

The Dolores Watersheds Collaborative is developing a Wildfire Ready Action Plan to identify post-fire flooding, erosion and sedimentation risks in the upper Dolores River watershed.

It's not clear yet how the money would be distributed among several states in a river basin where political fights and an impasse over how to share water long term have persisted even during historic drought.

A Colorado Public Lands Day cleanup near Dolores invites volunteers to help restore trails, reduce wildfire risk, and support healthy public lands on May 16.