Avoid 550: Durango, Colorado; w/Updates

[J.Mencalice]

US Highway 550 through southwestern Colorado near the town of Durango is not a good travel destination, nor throughway for probably the next two to three weeks.  There is a massive wildfire that is burning about 15 miles outside of the town and has been designated for a federal type 1 team to undertake.  It's currently at about 8000 acres in size and growing rapidly; expect it to blow up tomorrow as a new cold front with preceding winds moves into the area.  If it jumps the highway to the eastern side, then all bets are off as to where it may go and for how long.  Right now about 650 firefighters are assembled but not committed to the back country as I'm sure that command does not want them to get caught if it blows up.  Helicopters and tankers are making drops, but only to try and slow it down without containment being possible at this time.  Temperatures over 90* and humidity less than 10% makes for an extreme daytime fire condition.

Satellite photos:
https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/08/416-wildfire-evacuations/

https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/09/416-fire-wildfire-durango-june-9-weekend/

Durango & Silverton railway shut down for the next ten days.
Expect closures and long delays when the road is open.  So, if you are traveling north-south through western Colorado, those are the conditions that you might expect until the end of the month.

www.cotrip.org  is the official website for road conditions in all of Colorado from our Department of Transportation.

Safe journeys to all.

[..]

 

[Valkorado]

The smoke from this fire made its way to the Gunnison Valley today,  and it's THICK.  Hope they get a handle on this one.  I fear for our Valley, with severe drought and lots of beetle kill trees in the area.  I almost hate to say it but the monsoons can't come to Southwestern Colorado and the Central Colorado mountains soon enough this year.

[..]

The smoke from this fire made its way to the Gunnison Valley today,  and it's THICK.  Hope they get a handle on this one.  I fear for our Valley, with severe drought and lots of beetle kill trees in the area.  I almost hate to say it but the monsoons can't come to Southwestern Colorado and the Central Colorado mountains soon enough this year.

Last time I was in Co around Creede the wild fires laid down some eye watering smoke.

Good luck.

[..]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/06/09/officials-order-new-evacuations-as-colorado-wildfires-rage-on.html

[J.Mencalice]

The real news from the Denver Post:

https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/10/416-fire-north-of-durango-grows-to-nearly-17000-acres-almost-doubling-in-24-hours/

Whoever wrote that up for the Fake Fox Weather Report must have been drunk.  Snow?  Frost?  

[..]

The real news from the Denver Post:

https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/10/416-fire-north-of-durango-grows-to-nearly-17000-acres-almost-doubling-in-24-hours/

Whoever wrote that up for the Fake Fox Weather Report must have been drunk.  Snow?  Frost?  

You didn't notice the National Weather Service logo   Letitng your instant prejudice show 
 

NWS
✔
@NWS
A deep trough across the western U.S. is bringing strong winds and cool temperatures across the region. This has produced critical fire weather threats in the southwest, snow above 5500 feet adjacent to severe storm warnings in the northern Rockies/Plains, and Freeze Warnings.

[J.Mencalice]

The real news from the Denver Post:

https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/10/416-fire-north-of-durango-grows-to-nearly-17000-acres-almost-doubling-in-24-hours/

Whoever wrote that up for the Fake Fox Weather Report must have been drunk.  Snow?  Frost?  

You didn't notice the National Weather Service logo   Letitng your instant prejudice show  
 

NWS
✔
@NWS
A deep trough across the western U.S. is bringing strong winds and cool temperatures across the region. This has produced critical fire weather threats in the southwest, snow above 5500 feet adjacent to severe storm warnings in the northern Rockies/Plains, and Freeze Warnings.

I also know instant horseshit when I see it.   No matter what kind of horse it comes from.

[Valkorado]

http://kdvr.com/2018/06/11/san-juan-national-forest-to-close-tuesday-due-to-wildfire-concerns/

This is necessary because people are idiots.

They're closing the entire San Juan National Forest for the first time ever.  I was watching the news several nights ago.  Rangers were saying that despite the Stage 3 Fire Restriction, which is in effect and posted across the area, they are constantly finding evidence of people starting open fires in our forests.  

[MCRIDER]

The real news from the Denver Post:

https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/10/416-fire-north-of-durango-grows-to-nearly-17000-acres-almost-doubling-in-24-hours/

Whoever wrote that up for the Fake Fox Weather Report must have been drunk.  Snow?  Frost?  

You didn't notice the National Weather Service logo   Letitng your instant prejudice show 
 

NWS
✔
@NWS
A deep trough across the western U.S. is bringing strong winds and cool temperatures across the region. This has produced critical fire weather threats in the southwest, snow above 5500 feet adjacent to severe storm warnings in the northern Rockies/Plains, and Freeze Warnings.

And there certainly isn't any prejudice on this board, is there?

[..]

The real news from the Denver Post:

https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/10/416-fire-north-of-durango-grows-to-nearly-17000-acres-almost-doubling-in-24-hours/

Whoever wrote that up for the Fake Fox Weather Report must have been drunk.  Snow?  Frost?  

You didn't notice the National Weather Service logo   Letitng your instant prejudice show 
 

NWS
✔
@NWS
A deep trough across the western U.S. is bringing strong winds and cool temperatures across the region. This has produced critical fire weather threats in the southwest, snow above 5500 feet adjacent to severe storm warnings in the northern Rockies/Plains, and Freeze Warnings.

And there certainly isn't any prejudice on this board, is there?

Is your reply to my post?

[J.Mencalice]

How it started: https://durangoherald.com/articles/227112-irongate-residents-among-first-to-attack-416-fire

Latest update: https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/13/416-wildfire-update-wednesday/

No lives or homes lost yet, incredible work by pilots and firefighters.

So, alternative routes from the Durango area if at all possible in your travels through Colorado.
www.cotrip.org

I believe that there are 8 or 9 fires in our state at this time, please be careful if you pull off road and avoid  any dry grasses by the highways with hot exhausts.  It goes without saying (but saying it anyway) to avoid pitching any butts or cigars.  I believe that the term is "field strip".

Expect that this fire will not be out until it snows; contained maybe, but extinguished?...an early winter (we hope) at best.  Safe journeys.

[J.Mencalice]

Final update: Widespread weather system coming through the four corners region this weekend, the remnants of the storm that moved up the Baja and into the mainland these past couple of days.  Much wind and some rainstorms predicted for Saturday and Sunday around the fire areas in southern Colorado.
Expect the same road restrictions if you are traveling via this area from your points of origin.

https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/us/co/durango?cm_ven=localwx_10day

www.cotrip.org

Safe journeys.