DURANGO — U.S. Forest Service officials say the 416 fire, which scorched about 85 square miles in southwest Colorado, is “controlled,” more than four months after it started.
The Durango Herald reports the 416 fire started June 1 and was declared fully contained July 31, meaning fire crews had the blaze contained within a certain boundary. Controlled means there is no active fire within containment lines and no hot spots near the containment lines.
Forest Service officials say the fire continues to smolder in spots, and it could be months before it’s extinguished.
Investigators have not determined what caused the fire.
In September, Durango and Silverton residents filed a civil lawsuit against the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Company claiming one of the company’s vintage coal-fired steam trains ignited the 416 fire, causing devastating property and business damages.
The 416 fire started on June 1 near the train company’s narrow-gauge tracks north of Durango. It grew to more than 50,000 acres in size, becoming the sixth largest wildfire in Colorado history.