Durango Fire & Rescue

06/18/2026

🔋🚒🔥 Did you know improperly disposed batteries can start fires?

Recently, crews responded to a fire involving a recycling truck after a bike battery was placed in the wrong recycling stream. Thankfully, the driver noticed smoke and heat coming from the truck early, and the fire was quickly extinguished before it could spread.

Lithium and rechargeable batteries can be especially dangerous when damaged, crushed, or exposed to heat. In a process known as thermal runaway, these batteries can reach temperatures of up to 1,400°F, creating a serious fire hazard for waste and recycling workers, collection vehicles, and facilities.

♻️ Dispose of batteries safely at the Durango Recycle Center:
📍 710 Tech Center Drive
🕘 Tuesday–Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
💲 $2 per pound (one-pound minimum)

Accepted batteries include:
🔋 AAA, AA, C, D, and 9V batteries
🔋 Lithium batteries
🔋 Rechargeable batteries, including power tool batteries

❓ Not sure if your battery can be accepted or if it’s damaged? Contact the Durango Recycle Center at (970) 375-5004.

🚫 Never place lithium or rechargeable batteries in regular trash or mixed recycling bins.

A few extra minutes to dispose of batteries properly can help prevent fires and keep our community safe. ❤️

Durango Professional Fire Fighters
City of Durango - Government

06/12/2026

🔧🚒🚑 In recognition of National Automotive Service Professionals Day, we’d like to recognize the incredible Fleet & Facilities team at Durango Fire & Rescue (missing 1 more of our crew members in the photo).

While firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs are often the faces the public sees, our Fleet & Facilities team plays a critical role in keeping our department running every day.

From maintaining our fire engines and ambulances to repairing equipment, caring for our stations, supporting our training grounds, and building custom training props and solutions, their work helps ensure our crews are ready to respond when the next call comes in.

Have you ever worked on a diesel engine? Repaired a fire engine pump? Maintained emergency equipment? Built training tools from the ground up? Our team does all of that and more.

Their work may happen behind the scenes, but its impact is felt on every call we respond to, every firefighter who trains, and every member of our community we serve.

👏 Thank you to our Fleet & Facilities team for your hard work, ingenuity, and dedication. Whether you’re turning wrenches, fixing stations, troubleshooting equipment, or building the next training prop, your contributions help make our mission possible every day.

We couldn’t do it without you. ❤️🚒

06/08/2026

The Hermosa Cliff Fire has been declared controlled and is 100% contained. All fire personnel are now off the mountain. We will continue to keep an eye on the area in case any sources of heat were missed and pop up over the coming days. Heat can linger in heavy logs or burning in dead roots under ground but fire line has been methodically cut, dug and scraped, by hand and with chainsaws, around the entire twenty-acre fire. No heat was detected today using a drone-mounted infrared camera.

Fire danger remains high and Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in effect across the San Juan National Forest. See details and a map at: https://tinyurl.com/SJNF-Stage-1-Prohibitions
La Plata County Government
Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch
Durango Fire & Rescue
La Plata County Sheriff's Office

06/08/2026

🚒🧗‍♂️🔥 Fire Academy Weeks 10 & 11 Recap

Our cadets took their rope skills to new heights... literally!

Over the past two weeks, they learned how to safely access and assist patients in hard-to-reach locations, built their vehicle extrication skills using tools like the Jaws of Life, and completed their Firefighter II testing. They also got their first introduction to wildland firefighting through classroom instruction, field work, apparatus familiarization, and hands-on scenarios.

From technical rescue to wildland operations, this group continues to grow in skill and confidence every week. We’re proud of their hard work and excited to watch them keep progressing. 💪👏🚒

P.s. there are 3 more weeks until graduation…🙃🥳

06/06/2026

06/05/2026

A huge thank you to the USDA Forest Service - San Juan National Forest for keeping our community informed with regular updates on the Hermosa Cliff Fire.

We're grateful for the firefighters, aviation crews, and support personnel working tirelessly to contain the fire and protect the area.

While crews continue their efforts, fire danger remains high across the region. Please follow all fire restrictions and use extra caution while recreating outdoors.

Thank you to everyone working on the front lines and behind the scenes to keep Southwest Colorado safe. ❤️🔥

06/04/2026

06/04/2026

🔥🌲 Update from our partners at the USDA Forest Service - San Juan National Forest regarding the fire currently burning in the Hermosa area.

For the latest information and official updates, be sure to follow USDA Forest Service - San Juan National Forest. We will also continue to share/repost updates as they become available.

Please avoid the area if possible and give responding crews the space they need to work safely.

🚒 Thank you to all agencies assisting with this incident and helping protect our communities.