A wildfire near Mancos grew five times its size Saturday while the Mason fire near Beulah was completely contained.
Firefighters used air tankers and helicopters to battle the blaze near Mancos, in Montezuma County, that quintupled in size to 1,750 acres, officials said.
The Trail East fire was threatening seven homes late Saturday 10 miles south of Mancos, according to Sharron Helmerick of the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center.
Four 20-person hotshot crews are building containment lines.
Another hotshot crew was scheduled to arrive Saturday.
Firefighters also used three bulldozers and nine fire engines.
Officials worried that lightning may result in new fires that could be spread by winds.
The Trail East fire started Thursday afternoon after dry lightning moved through the area.
It is burning on Bureau of Land Management and Ute Mountain tribal lands.
Wildfires were burning on at least 15,600 acres in Colorado on Saturday, officials said.
The figure includes “wildland fire-use fires,” which are managed for ecological restoration.
Those were burning near Naturita, Pagosa Springs, Meeker and Saguache.
The Mason fire near Beulah that forced thousands of people to leave their homes last week was 100 percent contained, Helmerick said Saturday.
“One hundred percent contained means they have a good line around it,” Helmerick said. “But there’s still a lot of work to do.”
There are 335 firefighters working to make sure there are no more hot spots and that the fire gets extinguished.
The Mason fire, which was ignited by a lightning strike, burned 11,357 acres and cost $5,323,000, Helmerick said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Staff writer Michelle Wallar can be reached at 303-820-1201 or mwallar@denverpost.com.
