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Station #5 Construction Project - First Gallery
The photographs in this these galleries chronicle the construction of Los Pinos Fire District’s Station #5 in Arboles, CO. The station is located at 308 County Road 982, the road to the Navajo Lake State Park. The building was erected by Davidson Construction of Durango and the ornate timber work on the front of the station was donated, built and installed by San Juan Wordworks and San Juan Timberwrights, both of Arboles. The photos were taken between November 30th, 2004 and July 30th, 2005.
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Wildland Fires - May/June 2006
The prediction of an active wildland fire season for Southwest Colorado came true on May 20th, 2006. A fire occurred in the Spring Creek Area of the Los Pinos Fire District. This incident required the resources of the Bureau of Indian Affairs–Southern Ute Agency Fire Crew and the Mesa Verde Helitack Crew stationed in Hesperus, CO. On May 24th, 2006 the Los Pinos Fire District made an automatic mutual aid response to a report of a wildland fire on County Road 4020, located on Middle Mesa in New Mexico. This fire was about ¼ of an acre and was extinguished by the initial responders. The Black Ridge Fire occurred in the DFRA District, on Southern Ute Indian lands and the photos were shot on May 25th, 2006. The incident eventually was controlled by fire agencies from both Colorado and New Mexico. On May 27th, 2006 the Los Pinos Fire District responded to Navajo Dam, NM on a mutual aid request from San Juan County, NM for a 20 acre wildland fire on County Road 4600. This incident was turned over to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Fire Crews out of New Mexico. The last fire documented here is the “Garcia” Fire that occurred on June 6th, 2006. Los Pinos, Navajo Dam, and BLM fire units responded to a 50 acre fire off the 29 mile marker of New Mexico State Road 511. Air attack resources were used here to stop the forward progress of this fast moving fire.
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Flashover Simulator Training - 10/16/06
The Durango Fire & Rescue Authority, the Los Pinos Fire Protection District, and the Upper Pine River Fire Protection District joined forces recently to purchase a Flashover Simulator. The joint purchase represents a win-win situation with the prudent use of taxpayer monies to maximize firefighter safety training. The simulator was very cost effective when compared to the cost of a concrete burn building.
The simulator, manufactured by Swede Survival Systems, offers firefighters the opportunity to observe fire behavior and the signs that lead to the flashover phenomenon in a controlled setting. By creating these conditions over and over again, firefighters are provided with the knowledge and skills to deal with those situations.
The inaugural “Train-The-Trainer” Course was held on October 16th, 2006 at the Upper Pine Fire District Station #5 and taught by Upper Pine Fire Chief Rich Graeber, who has been an instructor for Swede Survival since 1998.
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Prescrided Burn - Mesa Mountains
On October 24th and 25th, 2007 the Bureau of Indian Affairs, in conjunction with the Los Pinos Fire District, conducted a prescribed burn in the Mesa Mountains seven miles southwest of Ignacio. The purpose of the burn was to reduce hazardous fuel accumulations and to improve wildlife habitat. Weather conditions cooperated and approximately 200 acres were burned over the two day period.
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Structure Fires - Ignacio Gas Plant
On November 28th, 2007 at approximately 0330 hours the Los Pinos Fire District (LPFD) was dispatched to an unknown type fire in the 3000 block of County Road 307. When he left his home, LPFD Chief Larry Behrens had a clear view of a large fire at the Williams Production Company’s Ignacio Gas Plant. Since the plant is protected by the Durango Fire & Rescue Authority, they were notified by radio of the fire and initiated a response.
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Structure Fire - 555 Goddard
Shortly after 0700 hours on December 4th, 2007 the Los Pinos Fire District was dispatched to 555 Goddard Avenue in Ignacio for a reported Structure Fire. Units arrived and found Ignacio Movies, a video rental store, heavily charged with smoke.
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Prescribed Burn Workshop
On April 12th through the 15th of 2008, the Los Pinos Fire Protection District hosted a Prescribed Burn Workshop to promote interagency cooperation and enhance prescribed fire skills. Agencies represented were the Fort Lewis Mesa Fire District, the West Metro Fire District, the Littleton Fire Department, the Fairmount Fire Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs - Southern Ute Agency. Five burns were conducted and approximately 70 acres were burned on private lands within the Los Pinos Fire Protection District. All of the photos were taken by LPFD Captain Brandy Vega.
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Wildland Fire - 9000 Block of CR 310
A wildfire, possibly human-caused, burned a manufactured home and 20 acres in the Los Pinos Fire District. The fire was reported just before 1 p.m. in the 9000 block of County Road 310, northeast of Bondad. While the official cause was under investigation, officials suspect a property owner was burning trash or materials, and the pile either reignited or was left unattended.
A Mesa Verde Helitack helicopter was called off the 5-acre Piedra Fire in Archuleta County to assist with the blaze in La Plata County. Winds fanned the flames into pockets of dense fuel, creating a torching effect, said Steve Tolle, the pilot, during a break.
The blaze came within a quarter-mile of other structures, but there was a road between the flames and the homes, said Larry Behrens, Chief of the Los Pinos Fire District. Photo were provided by Yodit Gidey of the Durango Herald.
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