More homes destroyed in Spring Fire

The optimistic mood of a community briefing Wednesday on the Spring Fire near Walsenburg, briefly turned somber with the announcement that the fire destroyed 28 more homes.
According to the federal Rocky Mountain Incident Management team, the homes were in the Middle Creek area of Huerfano County, adding to the 104 homes destroyed in the Forbes Park area of Costilla County.

The total of homes destroyed is 132.

Sheriff Bruce Newman said he doesn’t expect to find a significant number of additional houses destroyed in the county.

“Not everyone who lost a home has been notified yet,” he said. “Once we finish our assessment of the burned areas we’ve been able to enter so far, we’ll notify those homeowners and then escort them to see their properties. That will happen in the next day or two. “

Several hundred people attended the hourlong briefing Wednesday evening at La Veta High School in La Veta.

Firefighters said although containment remains at only 5 percent, progress is being made because of weather changing for the better, and hard work out in by firefighters.

“We have monsoon season starting this month,” said Shane Greer, a commander with the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team, the federal entity overseeing the firefighting effort. “That means more significant rain and higher humidity. But it also could mean lightning and flash flooding.”

Greer said officials could reopen Highway 160 in La Veta Pass by Monday. The section of highway closed earlier this week because of the fire.
“I think you’ll start seeing better containment numbers soon,” he said.

More than 900 firefighters are now working on one of two teams at the fire, Greer said.

Fire officials took questions from the audience during the briefing. James Cooper, a fire evacuee, said he felt better after the briefing.

“All of the information was very thorough and to the point,” he said.