USDA Forest Service - San Juan National Forest

06/07/2026

The lightning-caused Hermosa Cliff Fire is now 100% contained and some personnel will be released tonight so they are available for other fires. The local Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC), the San Juan Hotshots, are being flown off the mountain after working the fire for the past two days. Members of two Wildland Fire Modules (WFM) and a Fireline Paramedic will again remain on the mountain overnight and spend one more day ensuring that the fire perimeter is secure. Drone surveillance over the fire with an infrared camera has not detected any heat signatures today. That does not guarantee that the fire is cold out but gives fire managers a high degree of confidence that the threat from this fire is now minimal. The remaining crews will stay at the fire through the day tomorrow to patrol the perimeter and take action, if needed.

The fire was 20 acres in size and burned entirely within the footprint of the 416 Fire of 2018. Fire danger remains very high across Southwest Colorado and conditions will be hot, dry and windy in the days ahead. Stage 1 Fire Restrictions remain in effect on the San Juan National Forest and many neighboring jurisdictions.
Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch
Durango Fire & Rescue
La Plata County Government
La Plata County Sheriff's Office

06/06/2026

This large “Type 1” helicopter is being used to ferry firefighters to the Hermosa Cliff Fire this morning. If you’re in the Animas Valley you will see a large plume of dust coming off the fire area as this aircraft takes off and lands but it’s dust not smoke. It will take several trips to get some 27 firefighters up to the fire. The crews that stayed on the mountain overnight are at work now and report that the fire lines held overnight.

Red flag weather conditions are forecast today from noon until 9 p.m. with warm temperatures, strong winds and low humidity. The plan for today is to strengthen the containment lines around the fire and ensure they hold through these conditions. Water was flown to the mountain top yesterday for use by the firefighters on the ground. Helicopters that can drop water are also available today if needed, weather permitting.

The firefighters are being shuttled from a spot on US Forest Service land in Falls Creek. Please watch out for this activity if you’re recreating in that area today.
Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch
Durango Fire & Rescue
La Plata County Government
La Plata County Sheriff's Office

06/06/2026

The Hermosa Cliff Fire is now 80% contained and fire line has been completed around the entire perimeter. Some firefighters have been flown off the mountain for the day, and others will camp out again overnight tonight. The plan for tomorrow will be to mop-up the remaining areas of heat. This will be done both by firefighters on the ground and with helicopters dropping water.
Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch
Durango Fire & Rescue
La Plata County Sheriff's Office
La Plata County Government

06/05/2026

Fire danger is VERY HIGH! Fire Restrictions remain in place on the San Juan NF and many other jurisdictions: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/sanjuan/alerts/stage-1-fire-prohibitions

Near record high temperatures are in the forecast for today and tomorrow. Highs will be 10 to 15 degrees above normal across the area. A slight cooldown is in the forecast for Sunday. Expect isolated to scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms in the central and southern Colorado mountains through tomorrow. Widespread critical fire weather conditions return to the area beginning Saturday, and will persist into next week.

06/05/2026

Crews continue to construct fire line across steep terrain in the San Juan National Forest above Hermosa this afternoon. By walking the perimeter firefighters now estimate the fire covered a total of 20 acres. The lightning-caused fire is within the footprint of the 416 Fire and ihas burned primarily dead logs and snags left over from that 2018 fire. In some places the logs are “bone piled“ so they burn completely and won’t pose a threat later.

Firefighters were resupplied by helicopter this morning. The helicopter also brought in small “blivet bags” of water which will be used to mop up the fire line. The helicopter is also expected to make some targeted water drops this afternoon in order to increase containment of the fire.
Colorado River Fire Rescue Auth

06/05/2026

Due to the increasingly dry conditions across the forest and very high fire danger, fire restrictions are in place on portions of the San Juan National Forest (see link below for maps and details).

Restrictions are implemented in stages to protect life and our shared natural resources. Stage 1 is the least restrictive of these. Campfires are still allowed but only in permanent metal or concrete grates located in Forest Service campgrounds and picnic areas. Campfires and use of charcoal or briquettes is not allowed outside of these developed sites.

See complete details about what is and isn’t allowed at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/sanjuan/alerts

06/05/2026

Fire crews are back at work this morning, completing a fire line around a lightning-caused fire near Hermosa. No new growth has been reported on the Hermosa Cliff Fire overnight. Some personnel spent the night on the mountain top and others are hiking back in now. They expect to have a line around the entire 18-acre fire by midday. Supplies were flown in for the crews last evening and additional food and material will be ferried up the mountain later today. After completing the fire line they will spend more time “mopping up” which is eliminating areas of heat close to the fire control line. Two large helicopters are also available to drop additional water on the fire if needed.

Despite small amounts of rain across parts of the San Juan National Forest in the past couple days, fire danger remains high and fire restrictions are in place. Please use caution when recreating or doing any activity that could spark a fire.
Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch
Durango Fire & Rescue
La Plata County Sheriff's Office
La Plata County Government

06/04/2026

There’s a lot less smoke now than in this drone footage from this morning and the Hermosa Cliff Fire is 20% contained. About 15 firefighters will be camping out on the mountain tonight so they can keep an eye on things and get an early start tomorrow to finish the job. A helicopter will be used to ferry supplies to the fire crews this evening. This drone footage, provided by USFS Firefighter/UAS Pilot Dan Paladino, gives you an idea of the terrain and why a helicopter is such an asset in a fire like this. Two more large (“Type 1”) helicopters will be available for use again tomorrow to drop water, if needed. Between water drops earlier today and fire line construction by the firefighters on the ground there was no significant growth today and the acreage is unchanged - 18. The fire was started by lightning.

Part of the work today involved clearing a “helispot” where, in addition to landing supplies and personnel, a medical helicopter could fly in if a firefighter was injured and needed evacuation. We take the safety of our personnel seriously and know, if it were your son or daughter, you’d want such precautions in place.
Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch
La Plata County Government
Durango Fire & Rescue
La Plata County Sheriff's Office

06/04/2026

Intermittent rain has been falling on the Hermosa Cliff Fire north of Durango. 38 firefighters hiked into the fire this morning and are working to get line around the fire, which was measured at 18 acres earlier today. They are being assisted by large helicopters dropping water though the helicopters have suspended operations for the time being because of the storms in the area. The fire is burning on top of a mountain just above the community of Hermosa and burning within the footprint of the 416 Fire which burned in 2018. It has mainly been burning dead trees and logs left from that earlier fire.
Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch
Durango Fire & Rescue
La Plata County Sheriff's Office
La Plata County Government

Photos by Tyler Hoest, Columbine Wildland Fire Module

06/04/2026

June 6 is !

Activate your local community and join the nationwide movement to give back to trails! Whether you’re cleaning up public lands, volunteering for trail maintenance, or simply enjoying the great outdoors, your efforts make a lasting impact.

National Trails Day®, hosted by the , is a time to connect with people near you who share your love of being outside!

Events on the San Juan National Forest can be found at https://americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/find-an-event/ or through our partner organizations:

Trails - National Trails Day Volunteer Maintenance Dig Day https://tinyurl.com/mrxb2rzn

Verde Backcountry Horsemen - Annual Poker Ride and Cleanup https://tinyurl.com/578skkhc

Trails Group – National Trails Volunteer Work Day https://tinyurl.com/yc4php37

Juan Back Country Horsemen (SJBCH) - Treasure Falls Cleanup https://sjbch.org/

NEWS RELEASE: https://tinyurl.com/yues3ryn