Ignacio, CO – The Six Shooter Fire was reported on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation at approximately 15:30, June 16, 2020. The fire is located in the Six Shooter Canyon and now estimated at 220 acres. Ground crews made headway on the fire which is now 15 percent contained.
The Durango Interagency IMT 3 has assumed the fire management role today. Multiple agencies are working to fully suppress the fire, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Southern Ute Agency Fire Management, Los Piños Fire Protection District, Durango Fire, Florida Mesa Fire, and modules from the States of Colorado and Oklahoma. Ground resources include fire personnel, hot shot crew, heavy equipment, and utility terrain vehicles. Air resources aided in the initial fire response and remain on standby today.
Smoke is visible from Colorado Highway 550 and County Road 318. Smoke will be visible to the local communities throughout the duration of the fire. Smoke from wildfires can cause health concerns and some individuals are more at risk of complications. To monitor the air quality related to the Six Shooter Fire, please go the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Environmental Programs Division Ambient Monitoring page at: https://www.southernute-nsn.gov/justice-and-regulatory/epd/air-quality/ambient-monitoring/
Lightening from the previous weekend’s storm had been determined to be the cause of the Six Shooter Fire. The Tribe is also working with oil and gas operators in the area to shut-in facilities in the vicinity of the fire in an effort to mitigate any potential impact from those operators to first responder’s ability to contain the fire.
As a reminder, Stage 1 fire restrictions were enacted for Southern Ute Indian Reservation on Monday, May 11, 2020 and will remain in effect until conditions improve.
Stage I Fire Restrictions prohibits acts for the general public, commercial operators and industrial oil and gas operators performing work on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation.
STAGE I
General Public:
Prohibited acts:
1. OPEN BURNING. Burning of trash and/or yard waste is prohibited.
2. AGRICULTURAL BURNING. Burning of crop land, fields, rangeland, debris burning, slash piles, prescribed burning and weed burning are prohibited.
3. CAMP FIRES. Building, maintaining or using a warming fire or campfire outside of officially designated or developed camp sites is prohibited. The fire restrictions do not include charcoal fires (in suitable containers) for barbecues or fires for sweat ceremonies, however, such fires are not to be left unattended and are to be fully extinguished after use.
4. FIREWORKS. Possession, discharging or use of any type or fireworks is prohibited.
Commercial and Industrial restrictions can be obtained from the BIA Fire Office at 575 County Road 517 or by calling (970) 563-4571.
Anyone violating the provisions of this fire ban may be subject to prosecution outlined in the Southern Ute Indian Criminal Code.
For more information on the Six Shooter Fire, please visit the Southern Ute Indian Tribe website, and follow the Southern Ute Indian Tribe on social media.
To report fires contact:
DURANGO ZONE DISPATCH (970) 385-1324
For more information or to report Fire Restriction Violations contact:
BIA FIRE MANAGEMENT (970) 563-4571 OR SOUTHERN UTE POLICE DEPARTMENT (970) 563-4401