It’s fire season, and a number of wildfires have been burning around the West End region for the last month or so. Members of Nucla-Naturita Fire Department (NNFD) have been hard at work, and their service, though not always publicized or discussed, has made an impact in keeping local communities safe.
Jeff Stephens, the public information officer for NNFD, said West End volunteers have prevented further fire devastation, as they’ve been out chasing smoke more than folks realize.
“Without the swift response from the local fire departments, the wildfire situation could have been much worse,” he said Monday. “Several were extinguished, never growing into the monster wildfires we see on the news.”
According to Stephens, in the first two weeks of July, NNFD responded to seven wildland fire calls, including mutual aid calls with the Norwood Fire Protection District.
“The 10th of July was the busiest, with several lightning strikes across western Colorado and eastern Utah,” he said. “The La Sal Fire Department requested mutual aid for what would become the Deer Creek Fire.”
Then, for the Deer Creek Fire, NNFD responded with brush trucks and water tankers to assist. By the next day, July 11, that fire had grown enough that Utah's wildland fire teams took over. Stephens said Norwood’s department was also busy with multiple lightning strikes, though he doesn't have specifics on how many.
The Deer Creek Fire, as of press time, had burned nearly 18,000 acres and was 77% contained. More than a week ago, it did creep into Colorado.
And, as of press time, the Turner Gulch Fire, located south of Highway 141, had burned more than 19,000 acres and was 51% contained. That fire affected the VanWinkle family, who has ties to Nucla.
Janie VanWinkle told the Forum on Monday, that day, July 28, was her first day off the mountain in two weeks. From 5 a.m. to nightfall, her family was moving cows around fire.
When the fire moved to the Uncompahgre on July 14, the VanWinkles were there to greet it. They’d gotten warning calls that day, immediately left their lunch and went to check.
“We saw it come out of the Unaweep onto the top,” she said, “70 to 100-foot flames.”
She said the last few weeks have been emotional.
And, she can’t thank Jody Weimer enough. A few years ago, when Weimers were facing the Bull Draw Fire, VanWinkle called him up and reminded him that some of that permit needed to burn. He laughed and told her then that’s a “helluva lot easier to say when you’re not on fire.”
VanWinkle said Jody Weimer has shown up for the VanWinkles with so much support. When the Bull Draw Fire happened back then, Weimers went to fire briefings every single morning. They never lost a cow then. Now, VanWinkles have followed suit. They go to all briefings and work with the agencies.
“We’ve had good communication and full access,” she told the Forum.
In fact, VanWinkle doesn’t think they’ll lose a single cow, though they’ve lost half their permit in the fire.
She appreciates the Weimers, the work with the county, the USFS, the range conservationists, the fire command and the firefighters too.
About the old cow camp that burned — VanWinkle said it’s not her family’s, but it is very sad. Still, she wants people to know the heritage remains. The cow camp might be gone, but now is the time to think about the future.
“The legacy will be defined by what we do going forward, and how we manage this important piece,” she said. “This is a point where, we who are involved, how we react will define our legacy.”
As of press time, the Wright Draw, north of Highway 141, burned 466 acres but was 92% contained.
Other fires flared up over the weekend, July 26-27. Reports of a fire outside of Ridgway on Ralph Lauren’s Double RL Ranch were online, though that fire was extinguished quickly.
And, what was named the Kinikin Fire, north of Montrose, erupted, closing Highway 50 temporarily. By Sunday afternoon, that fire had been “mopped up” officials announced.
