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  • wildfire Wildfire
  • prescribed fire Prescribed Fire
  • burned area emergency response Burned Area Response
  • other type Other

2024 Spruce Creek CO

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Unit Information

San Juan National Forest 
15 Burnett Court 
Durango, 
Colorado 
81301 
San Juan National Forest 
15 Burnett Court 
Durango, 
Colorado 
81301 

Incident Contacts

  • Mike DeFries
    Email:
    2024.sprucecreek@firenet.gov
    Phone:
    (970) 501-5102
    Hours:
    7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Photographs Gallery

Spruce Creek Fire May 24, 2024
Photo shows a mix of unburned grass, burned brush and light smoke in the background
Photo shows a mix of unburned grass, burned brush and light smoke in the background
Spruce Creek Fire May 24, 2024

A view from the perimeter of the Spruce Creek Fire.  Interior pockets of ground fuels continue to burn, following a multi-day burnout operation. 

Firefighters hold the line on the Spruce Creek Fire
Two firefighters stand on a fireline and watch the fire area to make sure no fire escapes
Two firefighters stand on a fireline and watch the fire area to make sure no fire escapes
Firefighters hold the line on the Spruce Creek Fire

Firefighters Conor Lynch and Garrett Utsler watch for hotspots and any other threats to the fireline on the Spruce Creek Fire.  Both are members of the San Juan Hotshots.

 

Crews prepare a drone for aerial ignition
Three firefighters surround a drone with thick smoke in the background
Three firefighters surround a drone with thick smoke in the background
Crews prepare a drone for aerial ignition

An Unmanned Aerial System (drone) is loaded with plastic spheres that will be dropped into unburned fuels for ignitions.

Firefighters prepare the drone
Two firefighters prepare the drone with thick smoke in the trees around them
Two firefighters prepare the drone with thick smoke in the trees around them
Firefighters prepare the drone

Firefighters prepare the Unmanned Aerial System for flight.

Monitoring the fire
Firefighter standing with tool over shoulder watching fire
Firefighter standing with tool over shoulder watching fire
Monitoring the fire

Firefighter monitors the fire 

Firefighter patrols the fireline
Firefighter with orange hard hat walks down the road with smoke in the background
Firefighter with orange hard hat walks down the road with smoke in the background
Firefighter patrols the fireline

Firefighter patrols the fireline

Burning out a perimeter line.
A female firefighter is seen with an axe and drip torch during the Spruce Creek Fire.
A female firefighter is seen with an axe and drip torch during the Spruce Creek Fire.
Burning out a perimeter line.

A member of the Roosevelt Interagency Hotshot Crew uses a drip torch to add depth along part of a perimeter line on the Spruce Creek Fire.

Watching the green
A firefighter in an orange helmet "watches the green", the unburned area of the forest on one side of the fire line.
A firefighter in an orange helmet "watches the green", the unburned area of the forest on one side of the fire line.
Watching the green

Whenever firefighters use drip torches to improve a fireline, some of them are designated to "watch the green." They scan the unburned part of the forest away from the fire to look for embers that may float over the fire line. This can be especially important when, as in this case, the forest includes spruce trees, which are notorious for throwing lots of embers.

Improving the line
Two firefighters dig along a fence line to improve a fire line during the Spruce Creek Fire.
Two firefighters dig along a fence line to improve a fire line during the Spruce Creek Fire.
Improving the line

Two member of the Roosevelt Interagency Hotshot Crew use hand tools to improve a perimeter line on May 19, 2024.

Roosevelt IHC
Flames, smoke and heat waves fill most of the picture while a firefighter with an axe is seen moving in the distance.
Flames, smoke and heat waves fill most of the picture while a firefighter with an axe is seen moving in the distance.
Roosevelt IHC

A member of the Roosevelt Interagency Hotshot Crew on the Spruce Creek Fire on May 19, 2024. The crew, from the Arapahoe NF in Colorado, helped secure the a portion of the perimeter by "burning out" along a fence line.

In the smoke
Firefighters are silhouetted in smoke. One is seen lifting a chain saw.
Firefighters are silhouetted in smoke. One is seen lifting a chain saw.
In the smoke

Firefighters carefully create a buffer of burned fuel along the northern perimeter of the Spruce Creek FIre.

The right conditions to burn
A dead log burns beneath a Ponderosa Pine tree
A dead log burns beneath a Ponderosa Pine tree
The right conditions to burn

This photo shows why spring on the San Juan National Forest often presents a great time to allow natural fire to burn on the land. The dead log on the ground and the grass and forest litter around it are being consumed but the Ponderosa Pine tree shown is not burning. It's "fuel moisture content" is high - meaning the tree and needles have lots of water in them. The needles on the lowest branch will turn brown and fall off but that will help protect the tree if there is a wildfire here. Higher branches on the pine and less fuel on the ground mean a surface fire will have trouble climbing this tree. If the fire stays out of the tree canopy, the tree will usually survive. 

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