Incident Media Photographs

Securing a fire line is hard, dirty work with shovels, water and often, bare hands. Firefighters douse and stir hotspots and then feel the ground to see if any heat remains.

This flaming stump is too far away from the containment line to be considered a threat so it is allowed to burn itself out. The firefighters in the distance are closer to the line and are looking for hot spots that could pose a threat.

A member of a Larimer County CO hand crew on the Snow Ranch Fire on Friday June 14, 2024.

Because the are covered by the Snow Ranch Fire was previously logged, many stumps remain. Burning stumps close to the containment line can throw embers across the line so finding and douses these threats has been a priority.

Contractors are a critical part of the firefighting team. Bennett Arnold is a local contractor who often assists the San Juan National Forest.

The Snow Ranch Fire is burning under ponderosa pine trees, consuming ground fuels such as needles and dead limbs. Photo by Lance Martin, USFS.