Response to 416 Fire in Southwest Colorado

 

Update: Monday, June 14, 2018, Noon – The American Red Cross has closed the shelter that was located at Escalante Middle School. Fire crews have gained substantial progress and residents that were evacuated have been allowed to return home.

This will be the last Red Cross statement for the #416Fire unless additional services are requested.

If you find yourself in need of support please call: (970) 385-8700.

La Plata County is hosting a Disaster Assistance Center at the County Fairgrounds. Several agencies and organizations, including the Red Cross, will be on hand to help people affected by the 416 fire. The DAC is open from 9 AM to 1 PM.

The Durango Food Bank is making food and supplies available to those who have been evacuated, and is

accepting donations to help fill those needs. Drop off donations at 194 Bodo Dr., Suite C. The Community Foundation is accepting monetary donations for the Community Emergency Relief Fund (CERF).  This fund is set up for broad-based community emergencies in Southwest Colorado. To donate to CERF, send a check to The Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1673, Durango, CO 81302 or donate online atwww.swcommunityfoundation.org.

La Plate County has offered the following information:

Please sign up to receive emergency notifications, including evacuation and pre-evacuation notices, on your cell phone or via email: bit.ly/CodeRed_signup.

Please follow @416fire and @LaPlataCounty on Facebook or @LaPlataCountyC

O on Twitter for continual updates.

For those who received a pre-evacuation notice, the following steps can improve your safety and expedite departure should an evacuation become necessary. San Juan Basin Public Health also has extensive resources to plan for evacuation and emergencies: https://sjbpublichealth.org/epr/.

 

 

 

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UPDATE: Friday, June 14, 2018, 10:30 AM – The shelter located at Escalante Middle School remains open. Around 23 people stayed at the shelter overnight while around 70 people remain camped outside of the shelter. Meals for 70 – 100 are being served by Salvation Army Disaster Relief.

Shout out to the Durango Walmart. According to Eric Myers, Executive Director for Western Colorado Red Cross, Walmart has been stopping by the shelter every morning asking about where there are needs.

Some evacuated areas were allowed reentry but other areas remain under evacuation orders. There is still a lot of fire activity and everyone is encouraged to be prepared to evacuate if the fire threatens or evacuation orders are issued. The Red Cross is handing out water supplies at the reentry point.

Public information officers from the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team will be holding daily briefings for the public at the following locations and times:

• Durango Joe’s, 40 Town Plaza, Durango at 9:30 a.m.
• Trimble True Value, 45 Trimble Crossing Drive, Durango at 11:30 a.m.
• Escalante Middle School, 141 Baker Lane, Durango at noon
• Silverton Post Office, 138 W 12^th Street, Silverton at 2 p.m.

If you are allowed to reenter your property please take precautions when trying to clean up. Information about recovering from a wildfire is available at www.redcross.org/prepare.

According to the La Plata County emergency website:

The Durango Food Bank is making food and supplies available to those who have been evacuated, and is accepting donations to help fill those needs. Drop off donations at 194 Bodo Dr., Suite C. The Community Foundation is accepting monetary donations for the Community Emergency Relief Fund (CERF).  This fund is set up for broad-based community emergencies in Southwest Colorado. To donate to CERF, send a check to The Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1673, Durango, CO 81302 or donate online atwww.swcommunityfoundation.org

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Update: Thursday, June 14, 2018, 10:30 AM – More than 24 people stayed at the Escalante Middle School in Durango overnight. An additional 70 or more are camped near the shelter. Nearly 90 people ate at the shelter with food provided buy local restaurants. The indoor shelter population has grown slightly while the outside tent sheltering continues to increase.

Some areas have been allowed to reenter their property subject to strict identification guidelines presented by local authorities. The Red Cross provided water and other drinks at the reentry point in an effort to improve the safety of those returning after a 10 to 13 day absence. Returnees are cautioned about food stored in refrigerators, especially those who may have experienced power outages. Please check with La Plata County and other officials prior to reentry. Visit the La Plata County website at http://co.laplata.co.us/. Information is also available from the US Forest Service on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/416Fire/.

Weather conditions continue to be troublesome in the fire area. National Weather Service (NWS) predictions of thunderstorms with lightning and strong winds should raise concerns with area residents. A Flash Flood Watch was issued for the fire area. Please visit NWS Grand Junction at http://weather.gov/gjt for the latest forecasts and warnings.

 

Download the Red Cross mobile app, Emergency. It can alert you to NWS warnings and provide preparedness and recovery information. Download from redcross.org/apps or from your preferred app vendor.

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Update: Wednesday, June 13, 2018, 9:30 AM – The Red Cross shelter for the #416Fire near Durango remains open for people evacuated due to the 416 Fire. Twenty-four people stayed at the shelter overnight with approximately 50 people staying outside the shelter in campers and tents.

Dinner was provided for nearly 70 people Tuesday evening along with an ice cream social that was popular among the children.

NOTE: Evacuees from the San Juan Forest area have been allowed back into their homes as of 8 AM Wednesday. Check out the La Plata County facebook page for more information.

Fire information is available from the US Forest Service website Inciweb.

How can you help?

Donations of food and other items can be taken to the Durango Food Bank at 194 Bodo Dr in Durango.

If you would like to support the American Red Cross you can donate your time and money. To volunteer for the Red Cross or to donate visit redcross.org.

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Update: Tuesday, June 12, 2018 – Red Cross support continues for people affected by the 416 Fire near Durango, CO.

Shelter Information

Nineteen people stayed at the Escalante Middle School shelter in Durango. That is the highest number of shelter residents since the shelter was opened last week. Meals are  being served for the shelter residents, often provided by local restaurants.

“People have been very supportive of the Red Cross and the people who need our help,” said Jodi Acres, a Red Cross volunteer leading the Red Cross response. “Everyday people just stop in and ask how they can help.” While the Red Cross has the supplies it needs to support the shelter it is always encouraging to see the community stepping up as well.

New Developments

US Forest Service and La Plata County have declared stage 3 burning restrictions and this has caused the need to remove people from the forest area. A county supported camp for homeless people was evacuated Monday. Those people are staying in a tented community not far from the shelter. Red Cross will coordinate feeding of those evacuees along with those people staying in the shelter.

Smoke Plumes Across Colorado

With several wildfires burning in Colorado and southern Wyoming smoke plumes have spread across the region. Smoke was evident in the Colorado Springs area this morning. If you are sensitive to smoke you should take appropriate precautions. Stay indoors and out of the smoke if possible. Check with local health departments about air quality as it changes throughout the day and settles in overnight.

For the latest information about wildfires and fire restrictions in Colorado visit COEmergency.com. 

For the latest information pertaining to the 416 Fire visit the La Plata County website.

For information about wildfire preparedness and about safe reentry into a fire area visit redcross.org/prepare and download the free mobile app called Emergency available for iPhone and Android.

If you would like to help the Red Cross help people affected by disasters like the 416 Fire you can donate or volunteer at www.redcross.org/donate, or call 1-800-redcross.

Update: Monday, June 11, 2018 – The Red Cross response to the 716 Fire near Durango has reached its seventh day. When the fire began a week ago the Red Cross opened emergency evacuation centers in Durango, Silverton and Ouray with the expectation that evacuations would be required. Since that time the evacuation center in Durango was opened as a shelter. The two other locations were put on standby with Red Cross volunteers ready to respond.

As the fire grew and evacuation orders were given the Escalante Middle School in Durango became the center point for evacuees to get information, food and, if needed, a safe place to stay. Red Cross volunteers have supported that shelter since the beginning.

As the fire expanded additional Red Cross disaster volunteers were sent to support a variety of disaster response functions, including the emergency operations, state and local governments and local organizations.

As of Monday, June 11, there are 31 Red Cross disaster workers supporting the 416 Fire response. Most of those are on scene in Durango while others are working remotely from their home chapters.

Twelve people stayed at the shelter Sunday night.

How Can I Get Help?

La Plata County has opened a disaster assistance center (DAC) at the La Plate County Fairgrounds. Red Cross volunteers along with a host of other resources are on hand to provide support and referrals. The DAC will be open Tuesday from 9 AM to 1 PM. Go there it find out about reentry safety such as cleaning up from smoke or water damage.

How Can I Help?

The Durango Food Bank is collecting food items for people affected by the 416 Fire. See flyer below for more information. If you want to donate financially to the people affected you can visit the web page for La Plata County (see website below).

If you would like to support the Red Cross you can donate to our Disaster Relief on line at redcross.org/donate, by calling 1-800-redcross, or text the word redcross to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Who has helped?

Many businesses and organizations have jumped in to help the Red Cross help the people of Durango. Special shout out to:

Walmart, AT&T, Olive Garden and the Glacier Club.

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Update: Sunday, June 10, 2018, Noon – Our volunteers continue to support the people affected by the 716 Fire in southwest Colorado.

Overnight Friday there were 14 people who stayed in the Durango shelter and 12 people stayed Saturday night. Several families are staying in tents and campers near the shelter and they visit the site to get food and information. The fire continues to expand and so does the needs of those that have evacuated.

Disaster Assistance Center Opening Monday

La Plata County will host a disaster assistance center (DAC) at the La Plata County Fairgrounds Event Center in Durango. The DAC will be open from 9 am to 1 pm Monday and Tuesday. Red Cross volunteers will be on hand along with a variety of other agencies and organizations.

Food available for evacuees

The Care and Share of Durango is accepting food donations for those people affected by the 716 Fire. Those that want to donate can drop off food items at the Care and Share location. See graphic for items needed and the drop off location or email durangofoodbank@durango.net.

For more information about the 716 Fire, resources for evacuees and other support information visit the La Plata County web site at http://co.laplata.co.us/government/news/what_s_new/416_fire_information_and_resources. 

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Update: Friday, June 8, 2018, 4 PM – The American Red Cross continues to provide support to the people affected by the 416 Fire in southwest Colorado.

Disaster Assistance Center Update: La Plata County and a variety of agencies and organizations will be hosting a disaster assistance center at the La Plata County Fairgrounds Event Center, Monday, June 11 and Tuesday June 12.

 

“We envision a “resource fair

” type of environment wherein the participating agencies and organizations will set up tables or booths and engage directly with our citizens to describe/present the resources that are available,” Said Chuck Stevens, Assistant County Manager for La Plata County. ” Our goal is to connect members of our community with organizations who can provided needed resources or services.”

SAFE AND WELL Site available for reconnection

Residents affected by the 416 Fire can now register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website to post “safe and well messages” that concerned friends and family members can view. This system allows evacuees and others to register on the site, and to update their status at any time. Friends may search the site using the name, complete pre-disaster address or phone number of the evacuee. The search result will show only the first name, last name, the date and time of registration, and the messages the registrant selects to tell their story. Registration information may be provided to other organizations to locate missing persons, help reunite loved ones, or provide other disaster relief services. Those registering as Safe and Well, agree to the use of their information as described above.

To register, go to redcross.org/safeandwell and select “List myself as Safe and Well” on the left side of the page. Follow the prompts. At the “Disaster” prompt, select 416 Fire, Durango CO June 2018

To Search for a loved one, go to redcross.org/safeandwell and seled “Search” and enter the name and address or phone number of the person you are trying to locate.

FOr local information concerning the 416 Fire please visit the La Plata County web site at http://co.laplata.co.us/government/news/what_s_new/416_fire_information_and_resources

UPDATE: Friday, June 8, 2018, 9 AM: The American Red Cross continues to provide support to the people affected by the 416 Fire in southwest Colorado.

An evacuation center and shelter remains open at Escalante Middle School in Durango, 141 Baker Rd, Durango, CO., where people can get information and help. Cots and blankets are available for those needing to stay overnight and meals are served regularly.

The Red Cross volunteers have been on the ground providing help and hope since the beginning days of the 416 Fire. Overnight Thursday 16 people stayed at the Red Cross shelter in Durango. Our volunteers were able to help them get a good night’s rest and provided information about other resources available to them.

Disaster Assistance Center will open Saturday **NOTE this information corrected in the 4 PM update**

La Plata County will open a disaster assistance center Saturday, June 9. People affected by the fire can go to the center to get information about the fire, reentry and recovery. They will be able to connect to community resources, including the Red Cross, that will help them during the evacuation and after reentry is allowed. There will be representatives from several local community organizations, such as, Care and Share, La Plata County Human Services, health and medical support and emotion support. The Disaster Assistance Center will be located at the Escalante Middle School in Durango Saturday and Sunday.

How Can I Help

The best way to help is to provide a financial donation to the American Red Cross. your donation will support our efforts to help people affected by wildfires like the 416 fire in Colorado. You can also donate to local organizations that are helping with the wildfire response.

To donate to the Red Cross Disaster Relief visit redcross.org/donate. You can also call 1-800-redcross or you can text the word redcross to 90999. That will send $10 to the relief effort and bill your cell phone account.

The Red Cross has plenty of supplies available to provide the support needed by people that are affected by the fire. We ask you not to bring donation items to the Red Cross shelter. Likewise, firefighters have everything they need to fight the fire and support their workers. Do not bring food or other items to local fire departments or to  the incident command locations.

Be Safe

If you are near the fire area please pay attention to evacuation notices. Have your evacuation kit ready and make sure that you have included regular medications and that you have considered your pets and animals.

To find out more information about the fire and county resources visit the La Plata County Facebook page at facebook.com/laplantacounty.

 

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Update: Monday, June 4, 2018, 5PM: According to Incident Command for the 416 Fire community meetings will be held as follows:

Locations of community meetings and times.

Tuesday, June 5, 2018 5PM at Animas Valley Elementary, Hermosa, CO.

Tuesday, June 5, 2018 6PM at Escalante Middle School, Durango, CO.

Wednesday, June 6, 2018 6PM at  Town Hall, Silverton, CO.

Update: Monday, June 4, 2018, 4 PM– The Red Cross has reopened the Escalante Middle School in Durango as a shelter. Evacuees from the 416 Fire are encouraged to seek overnight lodging at that location. Cots, blankets and food will be available at the shelter site as long as there are residents in need of support. The shelter will remain open and staffed as long as there are evacuees residing at the shelter.

Arrangements are being made with the local humane society to provide boarding support for pets. Large animals need to be taken to the La Plata Fairgrounds.

Shelter location: Escalante Middle School, 2500 Main St., Durango, CO

Shelters in Silverton and Ouray remain on standby with volunteers available to open additional shelters as  needed.

For the latest information and evacuation notices please visit the La Plata County Facebook page at facebook.com/LaPlataCounty. You can also get fire information from Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5822/.

 

 

Update: Saturday, June 2, 2018, 9:00 a.m. – Red Cross is responding to evacuation requirements for the 416 Fire in southwest Colorado. Around 800 homes have been urged to evacuate. No structures have been lost as of this update time.

The Red Coss has opened shelters at the locations below in response to evacuation requirements:

Durango, CO – Escalante Middle School, 2500 Main St., Durango, CO

Silverton, CO – Silverton School, 1160 Snowden St., Silverton, CO

Ouray, CO – Ouray High School, 400 7th Ave, Ouray, CO

For the latest information and evacuation notices please visit the La Plata County Facebook page at facebook.com/LaPlataCounty.

Donations of personal items should be directed to the Discover Goodwill of Durango, 1230 Escalante Dr., Durango, Co.