Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad To Pay $20 Million For Damages In 416 Fire
DURANGO, Colo. (CBS4)- Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has agreed to pay for damages during the massive 416 Fire in 2018. The railroad company and its parent company, American Heritage Railways, will pay $20 million for damages caused by the fire near Durango.
The agreement also includes other measures to reduce the risk of wildfire ignition.
"The Durango & Silverton Railroad represents an important historic and cultural icon in southwest Colorado," said United States Attorney Cole Finegan in a statement. "We intend for this settlement to enable the Railroad to continue to operate, but in a manner that will avoid causing future catastrophic wildfires. In addition, this agreement ensures fair compensation for the damages caused by the 416 Fire."
The 2018 fire started along the train's tracks after a coal-burning car sparked north of Durango and went on to burn more than 54,000 acres of mostly National Forest lands in the Hermosa Creek watershed.
The fire damaged natural habitat, caused erosion and caused other natural resource damages on federal lands within the San Juan National Forest. The 416 Fire also threatened private residences, requiring emergency evacuations. Federal agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, responded to and suppressed the fire incurred significant costs.
"When finalized, the proposed settlement and subsequent operational changes will help protect southwestern Colorado's communities, cultural, and natural resources from future wildfires," said Frank Beum, Regional Forester for the United States Forest Service, in a statement. "We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Company and American Heritage Railways."
The lawsuit was filed in July 2019 seeking to recover damages caused by the fire. The railroad denied and continues to deny that it caused the 416 Fire.
