Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Appendix C <br /> <br />EARL Y FIRES SECfION <br /> <br />_ The aspen type covered approximately 142,000 acres within the RGNF in 1932. An estimated 30,000 <br />aaes failed to restock with any form of tree growth. This gives an idea of the extent of early fires and <br />the intensity of which they burned. <br /> <br />_ Many of the fires had their inception long before permanent settlement in the San Luis Valley and it <br />is probable that the Indians did set fires to drive game. Extreme drought in 1924 and 1931 were <br />undoubtedly repetitions of many similar but unrecorded climatic conditions where there could have been <br />lightning fires. <br /> <br />_ Fires within the mountains were practically annual events after settlement. It was reported that day <br />after day for weeks the western sk.ies presented a heavy pall of smoke. Lieutenant C.c. Morrison said <br />in 1876 that 'we aossedthe Sangre de Cristo Pass June 15, 1876. From the summit the San Juan range <br />was seen enveloped in smok.e of burning forests; and upon leaving Fort Garland there was still no more <br />than a few snow capped points visible.. He noted that they burned for over a week with no sign of <br />abatement. <br /> <br />** La Garita 1872 -- A sheepherder stated that he had to leave the Mesa Peak country with his sheep <br />because of the dense smok.e from forest fires burning in the La Garita country. <br /> <br />** Douglas Mountain 1893 .- This fire swept Lime Creek. and continued in a NINE direction until snow <br />fell. It was responsible for practically all the burned area on Lime, McCall, Credit, and Deep Creeks and <br />the north and NE exposures of Snowshoe Mountain. Cause was unknown but it originated in the vicinity <br />of Spar City. Probably caused by a careless miner. <br /> <br />** Dry Gulch 1879 and 1.893 - 1879 fire was rather small in the lower portions of the watershed. 1893 <br />fire burned the entire gulch including the south and east exposures of Mammoth Mountain and the <br />greater part of upper Farmers Creek.. The fire was a continuation of the Willow Creek fire. <br /> <br />** Willow Creek 1893 - Week after week. the fire burned through the dense timber stands in East and <br />West Willow Creek. The town of Bachelor was saved by firefighting. Shallow, Sunnyside, and Dry Gulch <br />drainages were also burned in the same fire. Cause was possibly a spot fire from the Douglas Mountain <br />fire. <br /> <br />Tie Hill 1900 - This includes the rather extensive area of Decker, Goodrich, and Lake Fork Creeks. Started <br />from Bengards Millon the South Fork just below Park. Creek. <br /> <br />+* Osier Mountain 1879 - This fire was the most extensive and intensive that occurred locally in the <br />19th century. Its boundaries were Grouse Creek on the west, the Rio Conejos on the north, the limits <br />of timber on the east, and points far south of the state line on the south. All evidence points to the <br />conclusion that it was started on the railroad. Intensity is still evident: very few snags standing or down <br />were left. Aspen did not come in. <br /> <br />, <br />\ <br /> <br />** Middle Mountain 1879 - Included the burns on upper Red Mountain, Middle and portions ofTrout <br />Creek. Cause unknown. . <br /> <br />** Goose Creek 1881 - Fire, which was extinguished by early snows, devastated heavy stands of <br />Engelmann spruce in most of Elk, Raspberry, Trout. Soda, Leopard, Roaring Fork. and main Goose Creeks. <br />Probably man caused. <br /> <br />C-B <br /> <br />('02527 <br /> <br />{ <br />