Teft Spur Fire

Anybody have any up to date news on this fire? Is it affecting D&S operations?
July 22, 2000
By Matt Joyce
Herald Staff Writer
A fire burned Friday evening on Forest Service land near the Animas River, consuming at least 20 acres by late afternoon and prompting a local fire manager to call in two Hot Shot teams.
The Teft Spur Fire was jumping its way up a steep and rocky mountain near the Teft Spur of the Animas river, where Cascade Creek flows into the river, said Ron Klatt, fire management officer for the San Juan National Forest’s Columbine Ranger District. Klatt said he saw the fire from a helicopter at about 4 p.m. Friday.
The fire was burning into the Weminuche Wilderness, he said. It did not pose any threat to people or property. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
Firefighters were standing by Friday, but did not attack the fire because of the danger of working on a steep slope, Klatt said.
"We were anticipating taking action this afternoon had it been feasible to do that," he said. "After examining the situation from the air, we determined that it’s really not a safe place to have people working at this time."
Klatt said the fire would be monitored by helicopter Friday night, and firefighters would probably take action today.
The fire was burning at about 8,500 to 10,000 feet elevation on a rocky slope with sparse vegetation, he said.
"It’s on such a steep slope, and fuels are so dry, that it’s burning anyway," Klatt said. "The steeper the slope, the more active the fire behavior is."
Klatt said he had just requested the two Hot Shot crews, comprising 20 people each, and he did not yet know when they would arrive.
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