Crews Saturday are fighting 18 fires that broke out on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation, south of Durango, according to Denver’s Channel 9 News.
Lightning Friday sparked the North Cinder Butte Area Fires throughout the west side of the reservation, Channel 9 said.
The tribe was coordinating with local agencies on public safety and to minimize the impact of the fires. It was also working with oil-and-gas operators in the area to shut-in facilities in the vicinity of the fires, Channel 9 said.
Conditions were forecast to be hot, dry and windy on Saturday, with wind gusts of up to 25 mph. Thunderstorms with lighting were expected on Saturday afternoon, according to Channel 9.
