WSP10623

• File Number: 8507
• Description: Rio Grande Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Date: 7/1/1994
• Title: Rio Grande National Forest Analysis of the Management Situation part 2
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Appendix C

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RGNF HERITAGE PROGRAM
HISTORY OF EARLY FOREST FIRES

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

.. = INFORMATION PERTAINING TO SPECIFIC FIRES

Agee, Fred B. and J.M. Cuenin
1924 HistoryofCochetopaNationalForest. Salida Mail, Salida, Colorado, 1924.

- Winter of 1874 -1875 was dry.
.. Fires prior to 1880 were probably started by American Indians."

** Big fire on Marshall Pass on the San Isabel National Forest occurred in 1881-1882 shortly after
building the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. Probably due to the large amount of slash in the vicinity
of the right-of-way.

** Big fire at the head of Saguache Creek occurred in 1893 during the Silver Panic when many miners
were leaving Colorado. Probably started by one of the miners.

** Fire on Pass Creek. (Dog-haired areas ?] was started by W.H. Champ and a surveyor named Olway
who were making a reservoir survey.

** Sawtooth Mountain (Gunnison National Forest] fires of the 1880's were attributed to sheep men
setting fire to timber to improve forage.

- Cowboys would set fire in the spring to the old grass and larkspur areas to keep their stock away from
them.

- So far as known there has never been extensive insect destruction.

- If a fire started it would burn for weeks at a time until there was a rain to put it out.

- Fires were fought if they were small enough or threatened private property.

- One instance is recorded where a man who started a fire on public land hired a crew to fight the fire.

DuBois,Coert
ca 1892 Report on the Proposed San Juan Forest Reserve, Colorado.

- Many ranchers have sold or burnt the timber in the valuable agricultural land in the pine forest.

- Of the total forest area within the reserve boundaries 12 percent has been burned over and 5 percent
within 10 years.

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