Structure/WUI Fire - 10/23/12 - Durango, CO

Firefighters from the Durango Fire Rescue Authority (DFRA) had their hands full with a Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fire that occurred in the late afternoon of October 23rd, 2012. The fire was initially reported on the outside of the home at the corner of Sortais Road and Nusbaum Road in the Durango Hills subdivision. Units arrived to find the split-level single family dwelling well involved, with fire spreading to the wooded area that surrounded the building.

With trees starting to torch, firefighters focused their initial efforts in keeping the wildland fire, which had spread into a draw off the “C” side of the fire building, contained. As additional resources began to arrive on the scene, other fire suppression personnel were utilized to stretch lines to get the bulk to the fire in the structure knocked down. Automatic aid water tenders from the Los Pinos and Upper Pine Fire Districts assisted DFRA in the water supply efforts.

The sustained efforts of the firefighters resulted to the wildland fire being contained and controlled, and the remains of the home extinguished. Firefighters worked into the evening hours overhauling the structure and mopping up the hotspots in the adjacent woodlands. The origin and cause of the fire is under investigation by the DFRA Fire Marshal’s Office.