Lake City | The Silver World Newspaper

Elk Fire Moderates, Public Lands Partially Re-Open

A predictable late August drop in temperatures combined with control and contingency firelines holding strong, and prevailing cloudy conditions with occasional rain, the latter “just enough to influence operations but not enough to conclude them,” according to most recent wildfire updates, has resulted in a further lessening of Elk Wildfire evacuation preparedness restrictions. Also timely in light of looming big game archery season which begins next Wednesday, September 2, and a congenial meeting earlier this week between fire officials and three local outfitters earlier this week, Bureau of Land Management on Monday announced an immediate reduction in public lands adjacent to the Elk Fire which are off-limits to the public. Firefighters and support staff at well-organized fire camp at the lower Lake Fork Whinnery Ranch are briefed each morning at 7 a.m., Tuesday morning’s update including news that up to that day, total cost of the Elk Wildfire now stands at $26,304,335 dating from lightning strike start on July 9 and continuing to present. As previously reported, it is commonly understood that the fire will continue to burn and smolder, particularly within wilderness lands to the west and some areas to the west of the Highway 149 corridor north of Lake City, until snow conditions later this fall. A succession of well-equipped 14-day management teams have overseen fire fighting operations since start of the wildfire, Wyoming Type 3 Team 2 with Karsten Malik and Geoffry Harrison taking over from retiring Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2 effective 7 p.m. last Saturday, August 22. Fire staff at Tuesday’s briefing were reminded “firefighter safety is predominate,” and, as an additional precaution, we’re reminded that school has resumed in Lake City and engine drivers and fire staff should drive accordingly, “keep your eye out for students.” At Tuesday’s briefing, it was reported unmanned infrared drones continue to fly at night searching out hotspots, the result being pockets of heat which were identified in the southern portion of the fire footprint in Division G. Crews were also out on Tuesday evaluating access to remote Division G locations and possible helicopter equipment drop-off locations. As of Wednesday under Wyoming Team 2, 146 personnel are assigned to the fire which has continues to burn within 7,257 acres and is 33 percent contained. Forest Service Recreation Staff Officer Matt Quinn, who serves as Resource Advisor on the Elk fire, told firefighters Tuesday morning that at Monday’s outfitters’ meeting, concern was expressed in terms of the environment and wildlife. Referring to local outfitters, Quinn said “they really care and thanked us for being here.” At the outfitters’ meeting, questions were posed on traditionally popular hunting areas such as Independence Gulch, Bill Hare Gulch, and Larson Creek, all of which remain closed due to the fire’s proximity. The concensus at the meeting, however, is that lots of public lands in the vicinity of Lake City, particularly east of the Lake Fork such as Powderhorn Wilderness extending to the Cebolla, remain open and unfettered by fire restrictions. To the southwest of Lake City, certain portions of BLM lands which were formerly closed due to their proximity to the Elk Wildfire have now reopened effective 5 p.m. Monday, August 24: off north Henson, the trailhead to both Wetterhorn and Matterhorn Peaks, including hiking trails on both peaks, are now open, together with closures which have now been removed on public lands between the Nellie Creek Road and Ridge Stock Driveway, Mary Alice Creek and Saddle Trail, and, closer to Ouray County’s Gold Mountain Fire, public lands to the west of Little Cimaron Basin. Forest Service lands west of Matterhorn and Wetterhorn Peaks remain closed due to their proximity to the Gold Mountain Fire. A more detailed mapping of both closed and now open public land adjacent to both the Elk and Gold Mountain fires is illustrated on page 3 this week’s issue, below. Citing a range of considerations which includes fire behavior, weather, and continuing stability with ongoing maintenance of control and contingency firelines both to the immediate north of Lake City and near the Hinsdale-Gunnison county line adjacent to Highway 149, Hinsdale County Sheriff Denim Starnes at 9 a.m. Tuesday, August 25, announced a significant lessening in evacuation guidelines affecting both Lake City and lower Lake Fork residents. Since the wildfire’s start on July 9, the sole region now under the yellow/“get set” evacuation requirements is unit HNS-002 on lands to the west and immediately surrounding the Elk Fire; requirements of residents to the west of Highway 149, HNS-003A and HNS-005, San Juan Springs and San Juan Hills Subdivisions extending west of Highway 149 extending north to the county line, have now dropped from yellow/“get set” to evacuate to the calmer green “get ready” category. Areas of Lake City and immediately adjacent which formerly were green/“get ready” are now, effective Tuesday morning, under no evacuation preparedness order, including Town of Lake City (HNS-0014), Ball Flats south to Crooke Falls (HNS-0016), Wade’s Addition (HNS-0013), areas west of town off Henson Creek (HNS-0012), Riverside Estates (HNS-003B, and San Juan Ranch Estates and Lake City Heights (HNS-004). In his reduction announcement which was pre-recorded and telephoned to residents throughout town on Tuesday, Sheriff’s Office urged residents to “remain engaged and alert to fire and weather conditions.” Information Officers Ranae Pape and Isabel English, latter under normal conditions stationed as Support Services Specialist at the Gunnison Forest Service headquarters, graciously entertained SILVER WORLD staff at fire camp on Tuesday morning, in the process reintroducing Gunnison Forest Service-based Deputy District Ranger Aaron Drendel who works with Incident Management and duties back at the Gunnison office which include guides and outfitters, and range priorities. Also introduced in succession were Cory George, Clint Mrnak, and Jonathan Sloan, Division Bravo Operations Section, with the update that there are now two principal fire divisions for the Elk Fire, Bravo (formerly Alpha) northward at the Hinsdale-Gunnison County Line, and, closer to home, Division G (for Golf) which includes areas to the north, northwest of Lake City. George hails

August 28, 2026 No Comments

Alpine 50 Race Biking Success

The Alpine 50 mountain bike race started with a field of 114 racers who were registered, 97 men and 17 women, 101 of whom actually began the race at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, August 22, with a total of 92 who completed the race by crossing the town park finish line. This year’s 114 registered racers compares to 127 who registered last year and 108 who finished the mountainous 50-mile course. Fastest times for the three top men’s finishers were Durango racers Ivan Sippy and Ian Brown, three hours 14.38 minutes and three hours, 25.57 minutes, in first and second place, and Glenwood Springs racer Eric Mahoney, in third place with three hours, 31.28 minutes. Among a bevy of speedy women mountain bicyclists, Durango racer Brittany Cowan was fastest, four hours, 33.59 minutes, followed by Annika Rips, from Bavaria, five hours, 3.4 minutes, and Heidi Lauterbach, Telluride, Colorado, in third position, five hours, 19.27 minutes. Added to Saturday’s winning roster were a record 11 Lake City mountain bicyclists who started the race, nine men and two women, nine of whom finished the race. First Lake Citian across the finish line was Lake City High School Sophomore Joseph Tubbs, four hours, 50.43 minutes, while the sole Lake City woman to cross the finish line was repeat Alpine 50 bicyclist Lydia McNeese, five hours, 35.38 minutes. Comaraderie, bell ringing and whistles were evident throughout the late morning and afternoon on Saturday as announcer John Coy chronicled each racer’s arrival at the finish line. Boulder racer Adam Sher, who finished 43rd, was gleefully met at the finish line by his wife, daughter, son and bulldog displaying a hand-lettered poster, “Dad’s High 12,960 Ft” in reference to his successful ascent of Engineer Pass. On the sidelines and cheering were David and Rosie Whitelock from Inn at the Lake, Rosie especially cheering with a hug to her second cousin, Cody Brewer, Aledo, Texas, who crossed the finish line seven hours, 19.05 minutes. Michael Fleishman, who co-coordinated the 9th annual Alpine 50 with John Coy on behalf of Human Powered Endeavors, says weather for the up Cinnamon and down Engineer race route was near ideal, identical to last year, with a spot of rain on Friday, clear throughout the majority of the day for the race, and then a rain shower on Sunday morning. “Overall,” says Fleishman, “it felt pretty good.” The upper Lake Fork start of the race followed the east side of Lake San Cristobal and then proceeded up valley in progressively lower gear up and over Cinnamon Pass, one huffing racer on the Shelf Road portion on the approach to Cinnamon observing “it might have been quicker to walk.” All finishers completed the 50 miler without incident, Fleishman noting that logistically “it was one of our best years.” He credits part of the success to communications, a key link being Tom Carl’s mobile StarLink which allowed communication from throughout the mountainous terrain. Coy and Fleishman will enumerate a long list of volunteers responsible for Alpine 50’s success this year in an upcoming letter, although racers were unanimous in their praise for the Cinnamon Pass aid station, this year manned by Tom Carl, Patrick Woods, John and Mary Kay Jergens, and Tim McClary, where Hammer nutrition products and an assortment of food including fruit, peanut butter, and pickles were cheerfully dispensed to racers on the long uphill stretch on Cinnamon Pass. Mountain bike athletes from Durango, Colorado, not surprisingly were once again predominate in Saturday’s race led by Fort Lewis College student Ivan Sippy in first place. Sippy was among nine Durango men who finished the race, one of whom, 17th place finisher Phil Cowan, is married to this year’s first place women’s finisher, Brittany Cowan. Speedy times by the three top-place men’s finishers and two women bicyclists resulted in Alpine 50’s Fastest Town Awards going to Durango in both 2025 and 2026. A Lake City rider, Frieda Allen, received Underwood Photography’s True Grit Award for her ferocious determination to keep pedaling and not quit the race until near American Basin on Cinnamon Pass. While racers from Durango once again dominated the events, but there were outstanding performances from across the state, including numerous mountain bike racers from Colorado Springs, Denver and metro area, Grand Junction and even from as far away as Bavaria and Costa Rica. In addition to Frieda Allen who was hailed for gritty determination and Fastest Town Awards to men’s and women’s Durango racers, other awards on Saturday were “All Smiles” of Tyler Micek, from Golden, Colorado, for his sunny race disposition, “Best Dressed” to shorts-wearing Bryan Ortiz, Boulder, Colorado, and youngest and oldest accolades to two Lake City racers, Lake City Community School Freshman Landon Rhodes and 70-year-old Dan File. With luxuriant facial hair, Dennis Johnson received the palm for “Best Beard.” Fashionably dressed Ortiz commented on the calmness of Lake City compared to Boulder, Colorado, where he is utilities manager overseeing water, waste water, and storm water for the 120,000-population front range city. Mounted on his Specialized Epic-Evo mountain bike, Ortiz reflected on his first-ever Alpine 50 and the fact “this won’t be my last… it’s so much fun, so much to see.” Based on proceeds from this year’s race, $500 was donated to Lake City Arts, Lake Fork Conservancy raising in excess of $2,800 on a mountain bike raffle which was won by Arris Slaughter of Shreveport, Louisiana. The first man, and the first overall across the finish line, was 22 year-old Ivan Sippy with a course record of 3:14:38. He rode an S-Works mountain bike. A member of the elite biking club, Segment 28 based in Durango, Ivan started riding at age four with his family and has continued to grow and become stronger and faster. When not in the saddle Ivan keeps busy with the recent launch of his own digital company, Waterfall Digital. In an echo heard from other riders throughout the day, Ivan stated that the views were the best part of the

August 28, 2026 No Comments

Optimismat Start of 2026-27 School Year

At the start of her ninth year as Hinsdale Superintendent of Schools, Rebecca Hall is cautiously optimistic as she reviews prospects for the start of 2026-27 school year at Lake City Community School.Superintendent Hall characteristically beams with optimism on the outlook for start of the 144-day school year next Tuesday, August 25, and continued focused work by both school staff and school board.Hall is also excited to introduce two new staff members, Kristen Archuleta as Admin-istrative Assistant and — a first for Lake City — a three-quarter time School Nurse, Melody Crump.Hall’s caution, however, comes with advance planning for potential school-related impacts due to proximity of the ongoing Elk Wildfire.Official first day of school for students at Lake City Community School is 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, August 25, Kindergarten through high school senior, classes Tuesday through Friday each week and a slightly different schedule for the school’s youngest, pre-school scholars.Four-year-old preschoolers, Leigh Parker returning as instructor, convene starting 8 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, while three-year-olds have an 8 a.m. starting time three days per week, Wednesday through Friday.Enrollment statistics for the new year are still being compiled but will be approximately static to last year — 75 students and three 12th Grade graduates at school’s end for the 2025-26 year — for Preschool through High School, latter eight presumptive graduates, in year 2026-27.Upcoming school dates include school board members grilling burgers for the school’s annual start-of-school barbeque starting 4:30 p.m. Thursday, September 3, and further ahead, according to Coach Dan Scroggins, the school’s cross country team hosting Gunnison, Crested Butte, and San Luis Valley counterparts at the Lake City Invitational in downtown Lake City on Friday, September 25.While school year 2026-27 officially commences Tuesday morning next week, Superintendent Hall and school staff were figuratively back in the saddle this week with full-day in-service days in the school’s gymnasium, Wednesday’s all-day topic on the weighty theme “Restorative Practices: Tools and Strategies to Help Build Healthy Relationships, Solve Conflicts, and Repair Harm” with noted San Luis Valley motivational speaker Luke Yoder.Restorative Practices keys in nicely with the overall 2026-27 school theme “rooted in growth” which, according to Hall, is three-pronged: strengthening belonging in terms of student wellness, the second prong being continuing to “persue excellence,” and, finally, “build the future: post secondary work readiness” as the third thematic prong.This week’s in-service schedule for teachers and staff started on an upbeat, reconnecting basis with breakfast on Monday morning at Euphoria Restaurant and was followed later in the week with a Zoom update Tuesday morning on the Elk Fire status and predictions from Hinsdale Emergency Manager Phil Graham, the in-service topics also including half the staff taking CPR training and a half-day SafeTALK on suicide prevention, as well as allowing teachers time to organize their classrooms.At Emergency Manager Phil Graham’s update on Tuesday morning, Superintendent Hall queried Graham as to whether school service suppliers from Gunnison or access to the school by a commuting Powderhorn area teacher might be disrupted on Highway 149 north of town by mud or debris flows as a result of the Elk Fire.Graham predicted “no significant impacts” to the highway are foreseen in the event of a rain deluge on higher elevation areas severely burned by the fire. Due to the topography which includes areas of unburned trees and vegetation between the fire and the highway, it is unlikely debris flows will reach lower elevations. From school science instructor Dan Scroggins, EM Graham was questioned on air quality as a result of smoke from the Elk Fire between now and winter snows. Graham refered to the PurpleAir website and the fact air quality is locally monitored, including one monitor evaluating air quality at Silver Thread Public Health on Third Street.Otherwise, Graham noted the extreme variability of winds and overall atmospherics impacting smoke density. “Smoke,” he said, “is due to intense burning which is not foreseen in coming days. Burn intensity was lower than expected yesterday,” Graham said on Tuesday, “and it is encouraging that there was less smoke than was anticipated.”Hall thanked Graham at the end of his Zoom update, saying “I’m feeling more relaxed.”Graham returned the compliment by praising Hall for her innovative handout, “Elk Fire: What to Expect on School Days” which plots three potential scenarios, green coded days when school classes proceed as normal, but also the potential of what might occur with yellow coded “modified days” in the event pre-evacuation notices are issued, highway travel becomes a concern, or staffing is limited.In the most severe scenario, red, remote learning would occur if the school is evacuated, air quality deteriorates, or Highway 149 is deemed unsafe.In the event of a fire flair up during dry weather later this fall, Superintendent Hall was questioned late last week on how the school would respond.Hall has been apprised of the wildfire status on a daily basis throughout the summer and learned first hand during a succession of three public meetings which were hosted in the school gymnasium in July and August. The first July public meeting was attended by over 350 individuals, far larger than any prior public wildfire meeting scheduled by the federal agencies.Long-term through fall and until snow accumulation, Hall expresses confidence, noting “we’ll have time to make decisions… we’re mindful at the start of school that this has been a different sort of summer.”In the unlikely event classes in the school would be cancelled, administration would fall back on past options, one being busing to Gunnison or, more likely, a switch to remote, online instruction, “one good thing,” Hall days, “which came out of COVID.”Online instruction would be an obvious alternative in the event wildfire resulted in staff or students were evacuated from their homes, some potentially housing with relatives outside the region or even ouf-of-state.On a brighter note, Superintendent Hall’s overview of the upcoming Lake City school year credits ongoing strategic plan review work by Hinsdale School Board Directors Tara Hardy, Phillip Virden, Rob Hudgeons, Camille Richard, and Kristen Carson which this year includes “portrait

August 20, 2026 No Comments

Northern Evacuees Return Home with Rain, New Fireline

Homeowners to the north of Lake City, including San Juan Springs and San Juan Hills, breathed a sigh of relief at 10 a.m. last Friday, August 14, when Elk Wildfire evacuation orders were relaxed, and they were allowed to return to their homes.The week-long evacuation for occupiers of upwards of 41 homes in subdivisions to the north of Lake City began Friday, August 7, and continued until last Friday when Hinsdale County Sheriff Denim Starnes announced a fire readiness code reduction from red/ “go” to yellow/ “get set” in county zones HNS-003A (San Juan Springs) and HNS-005 to the north of Lake City and west of State Highway 149 extending to the Hinsdale/Gunnison county line.While zone HNS-002 to the immediate west of the 7,257-acre wildfire (a reduction as of mid-week due to revised mapping) remains in mandatory evacuation, Lake City and surrounding zones to the east of Highway 149 were similarly relaxed from yellow/ “get set” to green/readiness category.In making last Friday’s announcement, Sheriff Starnes advised the relieved north Lake City homeowners to “remain engaged and alert.”Easing of the evacuation orders and north Lake City residents’ return home is directly tied to wetter, cloudy weather and work on a two-mile fireline in Quadrant G north of Lake City — a 10’ to 14’-wide swath of burnable vegetation removal, roughly a mile, the result of a hotshot crew’s methodic handwork and one mile each to the north and south cleared in tandem by Forest Service and county road crew bulldozers. The new fireline extends from the immediate north of Lake City at the Crystal Lake/Larson Lake Trailhead at IOOF Cemetery and continues northward in circuitous fashion to just above Larson Lakes.The line, according to Section Chief Chris O’Brien, provides an effective barrier for both Lake City and northern subdivisions.Work on the new fireline was a tandem project with Forest Service personnel utilizing a D4 flat track caterpillar on the south end of the line closest to Lake City, while Hinsdale County Road & Bridge’s Tom Hamel and Zarick Waddington used the county’s D7 HiTrac dozer at the northern end closer to Larson Lakes.Work on the new fireline was completed Tuesday, August 18 with hand crew work mid-week continuing the line northward through steep terrain to connect with a rock slope devoid of vegetation and, equipment drop-off point 40 on Highway 149..Scouts were out on Wednesday this week plotting a possible further extension of the fireline from Larson Lakes down toward the highway corridor.In addition to hand and machine clearing, the new fireline takes advantage of natural topography and existing trails as a safety precaution to contain the slowly creeping wildfire which continues to smolder in excessively dry downed timber.As a further fire deterrent and simultaneous with the Larson Lake fireline, a second fireline extension is being constructed by handcrews — with plans for completion later this week — to the northeast of the fire in consolidated Quadrant A (formerly Alpha and X-Ray) which will extend a mile east to the Highway 149 corridor in the vicinity of High Bridge Gulch. This northeastern fireline is adjacent to four hunting cabins which remain secure.Detailed contingency plans are also in place by an initial attack group in the event the fire crosses Highway 149 to the east, Section Chief O’Brien stating “we’re ready to go at a moment’s notice.”Low intensity fire is reported in unstaffed quadrants M and J to the immediate west and southwest of the fireO’Brien is part of Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2 which effective Saturday afternoon, August 22, is succeeded by Type 3 Wyoming Team 2.With relatively static conditions, fire personnel as of Wednesday has dropped slightly, from 253 the first of the week to 223 personnel Thursday, the majority of whom are still headquartered at fire camp on the lower Lake Fork Whinnery Ranch.The Elk Fire is not a complete burn, Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2 reporting that even after burning, “patches of blackened stems interspersed with green trees remain in areas where the fire has burned through surface fuels beneath the canopy. Large-diameter logs are smoldering and retain heat which is reignited during windy, hot, or dry conditions… during particularly hot, dry, and windy periods, unburned fuels within the perimeter may ignite, producing smoke and visible flames.”The fire team’s report this week repeats the need for patience in the face of what it terms “fire fatigue.”“Firefighters are doing everything they can to establish containment as quickly as possible so that life can return to normalcy. Rocky Mountain Team 2 sincerely appreciates the continued patience and gracious hospitality of local residents. Unfortunately, it will likely be some time yet before the Elk Fire is declared ‘out’.”Despite static conditions with the smoldering wildfire, handcrews are keeping a wary eye on Independence Gulch above Highway 149 where there is smoke, together with confirmation of hot spots from an unmanned aerial drone. The apparently downward creeping fire is indicative of a “stringer” in which normally upward moving fire gradually works downwards among tree and vegetation-clogged gulches.Hinsdale Emergency Manager Phil Graham was queried by telephone on Tuesday afternoon as to the exact criteria which was used in relaxing evacuation orders last week and allowing north subdivision owners to return to their homes.Graham credits Hinsdale Sheriff Starnes for making last Friday’s welcome announcement, the EM adding intense collaborative teamwork going into the decision by members of Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2, Hinsdale County Commissioners, Emergency Manager Graham, and federal partners.Graham emphasizes that the decision to allow homeowners to return to their homes was not made lightly and is based on a trio of factors including current status of the fire, present conditions on the ground, and the outlook for weather and associated fire conditions in the future.“We take into account all resources which are available,” says Graham, including an indepth Forest Service computer application, FSPro, which combines predicted fire behavior in terms of long-term weather forecast and — given those factors —the percentage chance in which direction

August 20, 2026 No Comments

Welcome Rain Dampens Fire Fight Concerns

With frequent reference to the arrival of “monsoon season” and better than average chance of afternoon rainfall in coming days, fire fears from the Elk Wildfire — static in recent days at 2,307.5 acres burned — are lessening.Mandatory evacuation zones on the Lake Fork at the northern boundary of the county have likewise lessened with announcement by Hinsdale County Emergency Manager Phil Graham and Hinsdale County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday this week.Only a single zone, expansive HNS-E002 to the west of the Lake Fork River, encompassing the location of the fire within U.S. Forest Service Uncompahgre Wilderness surrounding Crystal Lake and Crystal Peak, with minimal private landholdings, remains in the mandatory evacuation mode.Another lower Lake Fork zone, HNS-E005 — a slim wedge of land to the west of the Lake Fork at the county boundary — was in yellow “Get Set” status last week but now has transitioned to the calmer green “Get Ready” category for preparedness in the event evacuation is required.Through efforts of Graham and his team, Hinsdale County Sheriff Starnes, following rain drizzle throughout the night, on Thursday morning this week announced evacuation preparedness advisories have now been dropped on all other Lake Fork Valley zones, including Hinsdale Zone 004 to the immediate northeast of Lake City with San Juan Ranch and San Juan Ranch Estates, HNS-E014, Town of Lake City west of the Lake Fork, HNS-016, Town of Lake City (Ball Flats, Lake City Heights) east of the Lake Fork, and HNS-013, Wade’s Addition.Despite the relaxed orders, Sheriff Starnes continues to urge county residents to remain alert to fire status.In addition to recent near-daily rainfall and increasing humidity, cautiously optimistic news shared at Monday’s information session is the fact the fire is not pushing toward Lake City but based on prevailing wind currents is instead angling to the northwest and east in direction of Highway 149.The zone to the immediate north of the Hinsdale County boundary, GNN-220, in Gunnison County — both sides of the Lake Fork and including Norsworthy property at Ute Trail Ranch — was in mandatory evacuation last week but has now been lessened to green “Ready” status.Static at 2,307 acres due to higher humidity and near-daily day and nighttime rain showers, the Elk Fire is described at present as “creeping and smoldering” and zero percent contained. The smoldering fire is sustained by brush and large downed trees, fire behavior analyst Sarah Bush telling a packed, school gymnasium crowd on Monday evening this week that the duration of the smoldering wood is based on the time — from one hour for smaller combustibles such as grass, brush and small twigs, up to 1,000 hours for larger standing and felled dead logs 3” to 8”-diameter — it takes for moisture to saturate wood and deter burning.The time required for moisture saturation for small diameter fuels such as grass, leaves and needles smaller than a pencil eraser is one hour, while ten hours’ moisture saturation is required to eliminate burn danger in larger sticks and branches ranging in diameter from dime to quarter in size, and 100 hours continuation moisture saturation in order to favorably impact larger branches with diameter golf ball to baseball in size; Bush said it requires upwards of 1,000 hours’ saturation to defer burning in large-size standing and on-the-ground dead timber 3-8”Out-of-town firefighters are divided into three units — Alpha, Charlie, and X-Ray — monitoring and providing advance fire mitigation in the wake of the Elk Wildfire north of town. Team Charlie members, above are pictured at the end of Elk Road, San Juan Hills Subdivision, on Tuesday morning. In terms of fire mitigation, team members “have cleared a lot of brush around a lot of homes” on the west side of Highway 149 and, in precautionary mode, wrapped endangered residences and outbuildings in protective foil and installed water tanks and hose systems in the event the wildfire regenerates.diameter.“It takes a long time to gain moisture,” she said and, conversely, “it takes a long time to lose moisture.”The relationship between humidity and the length of time wood burns is exacerbated in drought situations which exist at present based on less than normal rainfall combined with low snowpack last winter, rainfall in June in Lake City, according to Bush, just 50 percent of normal with the result of dry forest logs and brush fuels.Bush also briefly spoke on ERC — Energy Release Component — and the predicted end of traditional fire season. Based on moisture, there is a 50 percent chance ERC will reach the 90th percentile or lower and fire season will end by September 4. Noting the Lake Fork Valley is entering the traditional monsoon season, Bush said “we’re moving in the right direction” in terms of humidity.Conversely, and if rain stops and temperatures increase, “there is a 20 percent chance for the fire to escalate.” During the past 20 years, there have been four instances — 2007, 2019, 2020, and 2024 — when ECR escalated and fire danger increased late in the summer and into fall.Fire experts at Monday’s second largely-attended information meeting at Lake City Community School — 150 people attendance seated on chairs and bleachers and another 350 who attended the session virtually online for the start of what was described as a “robust” update — explained that rather than battling the Elk blaze on the ground, the fire fighting strategy, according to Operations Chief Chad Rowland, is “indirect containment” due to the ruggedness and extreme verticality of the terrain, together with extreme danger to firefighters from falling dead timber.Rowland recounted that initially after start of the Elk blaze on July 9, firefighters were placed on the ground as the wind-borne wildfire expanded. “And that strategy,” he said, “proved too risky in gauging firefighter safety.”“We had to rethink the situation and go back to indirect strategy.”Like Fire Behavior Analyst Bush, Rowland placed his hope that the developing monsoon season will reduce the likelihood of fire spread as rain penetrates the ground below the forest canopy.Since the

July 24, 2026 No Comments

DIRT, C of C Host First Meeting for Local Business Owners in Response to Elk Creek Fire

On Tuesday, July 14, a meeting was conducted through the collaborative efforts of Downtown Improvements and Revitalization Team (DIRT) and the Lake City/Hinsdale County Chamber of Commerce for local business owners, in response to the Elk Creek fire, to learn about resources available to businesses, ask questions about latest information, offer input on how DIRT and the Chamber could best support businesses, employees and residents, and share concerns, challenges and ideas.Approximately 75 people attended, including local business owners, Lake City residents and summer visitors. The panel at the front of the room consisted of County Commissioners Kristie Borchers and Robert Hurd, and Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kat Menzies.Lake City DIRT and the Chamber of Commerce want to proactively communicate with business owners. This meeting was the first of weekly meetings, held to list specific concerns of business owners, and connect Lake City business owners with regional and statewide resources.Borchers began the meeting telling the audience that these meetings will continue for Lake City business owners every Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the Commissioners meeting room; they will also beDIRT, C of C Host First Meeting for Local Business Owners in Response to Elk Creek Fire available to attend via Zoom.Additionally, Region 10 will be hosting a regional meeting for communities affected by wildfire since there are several mountain communities facing these same issues. These meetings occur weekly at noon on Tuesdays, and can be accessed through the Region 10 webpage.Borchers went on to say, “Our economies are reliant on tourist business. Lake City DIRT and the Chamber of Commerce want to provide Lake City business owners direct, clear and concise information, while also messaging to our visitors that Lake City is currently under no immediate danger.”Further, she said, “preparedness is a normal and responsible part of visiting a mountain community. I would highly recommend you encourage your guests and customers to be ready for potential wildfire impacts, as well as other challenges associated with high-altitude travel, so they can experience a safe and enjoyable vacation.”Emergency Manager Phil Graham also spoke, providing current Elk Fire information. Colorado Main Street director Gayle Langeley answered questions about resources available. Joni Adelman of the Silver Thread Public Health District spoke about the Purple Air monitoring system for smoke impacts.Several business owners spoke, expressing their concerns about recent cancellations and how to further encourage messaging that Lake City remains open for business.For more information, visit the Chamber of Commerce webpage, and WORLD will continue coverage of these meetings as they subsequently occur.

July 17, 2026 No Comments

Expanding Lake Fork Elk Creek Wildfire Approaches Town of Lake City

A fast-moving wildfire, which began in Uncompahgre Wilderness Area north of Lake City due to an apparent lightning strike last Thursday, July 9, has vastly expanded resulting in mandatory evacuations of lower Lake Fork River residents near the Hinsdale-Gunnison County boundary on Wednesday afternoon this week.Up through Tuesday this week, the extent of the fire was estimated at slightly more than 500 acres, although winds at mid-week have increased the burned acreage upward to an estimated 1,980 acres with zero percent containment as of Thursday morning, July 16. Resources on the ground and air as of Thursday morning are 223 personnel, six helicopters, three hand crews, and 22 engines.Lake City and Lake Fork Valley residents are in general on edge because of the fire which in addition to expansion from continued drought and gusty winds this week, has produced dense smoke creating some of the worst air quality in the entire state.Mandatory lower Lake Fork evacuations on WandreyWednesday, July 15, impacted Jeff Moler at the old Ryan Ranch and his immediate neighbors, Alena and Randy Haskell, and — more distantly — Tom and Jeannie Russell at Russellville, Scott and Becky Williams and at the County border, Rich Landry.Sky Ranch at Ute Trail, just across the county line in Gunnison County, voluntarily evacuated last Sunday In addition to Gunnison, an evacuation center has been established at the Armory in Lake City.The Lake Fork Valley has been separated into adjoining evacuation zones extending southward up valley from the County line. In addition to Zones 002 and 005 west of Highway 149 and extending north from the County line to the Independence Gulch Trailhead, which already been evacuated, Zone E006 next up the valley was in “Set Status” as of Wednesday afternoon with residents along Highway 149 to the south on Independence Gulch were asked to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice.The remainder of upstream evacuation units, including Town of Lake City and Wade’s Addition within Unit HNS-E016, remain in the “Ready/Green” category with residents urged to pack a “go kit” with medications, documents and other essentials, prepare pet and livestock plans, clear defensible space and secure property, and “stay alert to official updates.”Due to heavy smoke and resulting particulates, Lake Fork Valley air quality reached its nadir on Wednesday this week — highest in the entire state — with an in-the-red 170 “unhealthy” rating.By comparison to the 170 rating Wednesday based on air testing at Silver Thread Public Health in Lake City, neighboring communities were in the “moderate/acceptable” range air quality 50 to 100 yellow rating, Ouray, for instance at 66, Silverton 55, Creede 68, and Gunnison 60.Lake City air conditions ameliorated to 90 — “moderate” on the health gauge — as of Thursday morning, in part owning to a welcome .09” rainfall which occurred late Wednesday afternoon. According to weather watcher Phillip Virden, “hopefully twice that amount” of rainfall is looked for on Thursday.Smoke-filled air conditions were largely the result of nearby Elk Creek Wildfire but also due to the Gold Mountain Fire which has grown to 37,734 acres — 11 percent contained as of Thursday morning — primarily in adjacent Ouray County but also fringing into the extreme northwest corner of Hinsdale County on the West Fork of the Cimarron River and up into southwest Gunnison County at Silver Jack Reservoir.Gold Mountain Wildfire’s first fatality was confirmed earlier this week when a firefighting helicopter overturned in Silver Jack Reservoir, drowning its pilot, 56-year-old British Columbia native Nicholas Dale.Dale’s Type I helicopter had been utilized on the Elk Wildfire the day prior to the fatal mishap, the death, according to firefighting officials, “highlighting the risk to protect public lands and private infrastructure.”In advance of intensifying fire danger in Lake City, some local residents began transferring irreplaceable files and heirlooms to Gunnison last Sunday and, with elevated “ready, set, go” evacuation recommendations on Wednesday, Rebecca Kaminski calmly coordinated transfer of the family’s prize-winning livestock herd — goats, sheep, rabbits, etc. — from their San Juan Hills home north of town to stalls at Gunnison County Fairgrounds.In the wake of the fire and occasional choking-thick smoke in town, SILVER WORLD interrogated both Lake City Fire Chief Justin Thompson and Hinsdale County Search & Rescue’s Harry MacKendrick, latter briefly explaining that S & R is on standby as needed in the event a firefighter requires assistance.S & R, according to MacKendrick is also available in instances where trailhead road closures such as Nellie Creek and Crystal/Larson are needed.“At the discretion of Hinsdale County Sheriff, Hinsdale Search & Rescue is here if you need us,” says MacKendrick, adding, “hopefully nothing is needed.”Lake City Fire Chief Justin Thompson is similarly upbeat, telling newspaper he and local firefighters continue to work closely with other agencies and are staying apprised of the wildfire situation at all times.While on standby, local firefighters continue to prepare with emphasis on response and protocols, “our role,” says the Fire Chief, “being structure protection and accessibility.”Thompson adds a shout out to several local fire volunteers, among these the fire department’s R.E. Hall and Rick Hernandez for “tremendous efforts” connecting with the incoming fire crews.Thompson also credits the fire department’s Matt Jones, Mike Carson, and Sam Fyler who, while in the midst of a house remodel project near the County line with Gunnison, dropped everything to mitigate fire risk by limbing trees around the home, utilizing a wood chipper for fire mitigation both at the County line and also north of Lake City in San Juan Ranch Estates.WORLD also gently queried calmly frenetic Curtis Rasmusson, multi-decade Wyoming resident who is OPS for the Wyoming Type III Incident Management Team which is managing wildfire fighting efforts in and around Elk Creek prior to transfer, due to complexity of the wildfire, to Northwest Complex Incident Management Team at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The transfer brings additional personnel, planning capacity, and operational support assisting with incident safety and effectiveness.According to Rasmusson, the majority of the wood fuels now being consumed on upwards of 2,000 wilderness

July 16, 2026 No Comments

Wiring Determined as Cause Wade’s Addn. Blaze

Last Thursday morning’s destructive Wade’s Addition house fire, reported in last week’s SILVER WORLD, has been determined to be caused by defective electric wiring. According to Lake City Fire Chief Justin Thompson, the determination is the result of an inspection the day following the blaze, Friday, May 15, by Kevin Crawford, an investigator based out of Grand Junction with Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. As reported last week, the Wildflower Cabins’ rental cabin destroyed in the blaze was of older vintage, dating to construction in 1954, with old electric wiring. The cabin was unoccupied at the time and was being readied for summer use, Investigator Crawford determination being that an electric motor seized and caused the fire as the result of a light and ceiling fan which were left on over night. Since our report on the fire last week, SILVER WORLD has learned that an unsung hero assisting in alerting neighbors to the early morning fire on Thursday was Wade’s Addition resident Jim Gowdy. Gowdy, who lives on Park Street within a half block of Wildflower Cabins, apparently sighted the escalating flames from both the cabin and an adjacent spruce tree which caught fire, and dashed across the street to alert neighbors prior to arrival of the fire department. At the across-the-street Rightsell residence, he banged on windows, also alerting residents of the Waddington house which is just across the alleyway from the burning building.

May 22, 2026 No Comments

Morning Fire Destroys Wade’s Addition Cabin

Fire of unknown origin has destroyed a log-sided frame rental cabin in Wade’s Addition.The blaze, which also engulfed an adjacent spruce trees, was first called in to Lake City Fire/Rescue firefighters at 1:58 a.m. on Thursday, May14, at which time the cabin — part of an eight- cabin rental complex at Wildflower Cabins — was fully engulfed.Fighting the destructive blaze, according to Lake City Fire Chief Justin Thompson, was made all the more difficult by close proximity of other frame rental units in the resort as well as neighboring homes on Spruce Street, including both the Allison and Zairick Waddington home (former Pat and Jake Jacobs) and Donny and Jen Rightsell’s home across the street on Spruce Street, where residents aided firefighters with water hoses.Also immediately adjacent to the burning cabin and within what Thompson refers to an “exposure containment zone” adding to the challenging conditions was a spruce tree fully ablaze and described as a “giant Roman Candle” by neighbors and three propane tanks which closely abutted the burning structure.Fire Chief Thompson, who arrived on scene at 1:58 a.m., says the fire was contained by 2:15 a.m. Thursday. In addition to fire engines 91 and 93, and tanker 1, also on scene were firefighters Mike Carson, Evan Milski, Mike Ralph, R.E. Hall, Greg Levine, Matt Jones, Jared Fledge, Joel Collins, Rick Hernandez, and Mike Tuttle.Thompson praises fire fighters for their quick and efficient response, saying “they did a spectacular job.”Wildflower Cabins, purchased by Teresa and Robin Wagner — together with Chris and Amy Hoedebeck, who now own Wagon Wheel Resort, in September, 2021, is a popular, 72-year-old resort which has periodically been renamed and remodeled since its original construction in 1954.Coincidentally, this is not the first destructive fire at the resort.Built as a 10 cabin resort by Kline Shaver in 1953 and known as Kline’s Cabin, the resort was totally destroyed by fire in January, 1954.Volunteer firefighters with a single pumper truck were summoned from an evening basketball game in the Armory to the blaze after a loud propane tank explosion was reported in Wade’s Addition.One of the fire fighting volunteers, neighboring property owner Ben Griffiths, was injured when a door was blown off its hinges and he sustained a broken pelvis. The fire was contained but reignited the following morning and entirely destroyed the resort.Undeterred, Kline Shaver quickly rebuilt the resort in time for the start of the 1954 tourist season.The resort has undergone numerous name changes and names in subsequent years, including being renamed Red cloud Resort when owned by E.A. Baldridge, and Westwood Resort during the long proprietorship of Glen and Barbara Lohn.

May 15, 2026 No Comments

Water Orders Lifted Thursday, April 30

Lake City’s water service experienced a snafu late last month when a malfunction occurred at the Bluff Street well Sunday morning, April 26, placing the town under boil water and essential use only orders.Thanks to hardworking town staff, in conjunction with Lake City Area Fire Department and Gunnison Public Works water lab, the orders were both fully lifted by the evening of April 30.Town Manager Lex Mulhall credits Public Works employees Ethan Wuest, Willy Merfeld and Riley Moore who worked nearly around the clock to remedy the situation, as well as Lake City Area Fire Protection District volunteers who assisted in flushing the water system and fire hydrants, working through the night Wednesday, April 29.Mayor Dave Roberts and town staff tell WORLD they would also like to thank Paradise Property and Bruce Curry, Donny Rightsell, Jason Morrison and R.E. Hall for making a trip to Gunnison Monday morning, April 27, to purchase cases of water that they distributed throughout Lake City that afternoon.

May 8, 2026 No Comments

Tag: Lake City