Gov. Polis declares another disaster emergency, this time for a fire in Southern Colorado
Michael Logerwell
PAGOSA SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Colorado Governor Jared Polis has made a verbal declaration for a fire burning in Pagosa Springs, Archuleta County.
The Oak Fire is burning just west of Pagosa Springs, north of Highway 160. The governor’s office says that due to the fire quickly spreading, it exceeded the capacity of the local fire department and county resources. Then the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office requested help from the state.
As of Sunday night, the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office says the blaze is at 150 acres and mandatory evacuations are in place up to and including the Elk Park subdivision.
With this declaration, the State Emergency Operations and Resource Mobilization Plans are activated. In addition to local, county, and federal agencies, the Division of Fire Prevention and Control, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and Colorado State Patrol are all helping in this time of emergency. The National Guard is also helping fight the blaze.