Firefighters keep 416 wildfire’s flames, embers from igniting homes
Wildfire scorches another 1,247 acres without injuring any firefighters or destroying any homes
June 12, 2018
In this photo taken Wednesday, June 6, 2018, the 416 Fire burns down Hermosa Cliffs above U.S. Highway 550 on the southeast side of the fire near Hermosa, Colo.
As the 416 wildfire turned another 1,247 acres of heavy pine forest into ash and charred stumps in a 24-hour period, a battalion of firefighters notched yet another day without the fire injuring any of the 1,100 firefighters or destroying any of the 2,700 evacuated homes.
"I think we've had help from the angels," said Rob Powell, operations chief for the fire that has now burned 23,378 acres in 12 days. "We're not out of the woods by any means but we've been very fortunate there have not been any homes burned or firefighters hurt."
While firefighters have been able to protect homes, the wildfire will close the San Juan National Forest in southwest Colorado for the first time in its 113-year history.
In many ways, the favorable outcome so far is due to skilled planning by fire control experts and tireless work by a regimental-sized team of experienced firefighters, Powell said.
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