Quick thinking helps stop small roadside fire as parts of Colorado enter high fire danger

A Colorado man says he jumped into action after witnessing what Xcel Energy said was an electrical failure that sparked a small fire along the roadside this week.  When we arrived on scene, we found several burn marks.

Justin Erwin, a resident of Summit County, was driving near Dillon on Tuesday when he heard a loud explosion and spotted smoke.

"Huge explosion, saw flames, smoke," Erwin said. "As I was heading by, I noticed there was three little fires right there."

Erwin pulled over, called 911 and began stomping out the flames while a father-son duo stopped to help.

"It was pretty windy," he said. "[The fires] were spreading fast."

According to Xcel Energy, crews responded quickly and found evidence of a small ignition near the power equipment. One firefighter also responded to the scene. No injuries were reported, and power was restored after repairs were completed.

On Wednesday, only small patches of scorched ground and caution tape surrounding a utility pole remained.

While the fire was quickly extinguished, local fire officials said the incident comes at a concerning time. Summit County recently moved into the "High" fire danger category, and firefighters say conditions are developing much earlier than normal.

"We're starting to see that critical weather pattern that typically comes in in June start to happen," said Matt Benedict, Division Chief of Wildfire and Community Preparedness with Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District.

Despite beneficial moisture in May, Benedict said the region's unusually low snowpack left the ground with little long-term moisture. According to Benedict, fire officials believe conditions are running roughly four to eight weeks ahead of a typical year.

"We didn't have the big water monster, and that's what sits up on top of the mountains," he said. "Usually, the beginning of July, we're really, really dry. That's about where we are right now."

The recent green-up across the mountains may make conditions appear less concerning than they actually are.

"It is great right now," Benedict said. "It's keeping us out of critical levels, but we don't know how long that's going to last. We don't think it's going to last very long."

For Erwin, the incident was a reminder of how quickly a wildfire can start.

"The window was blown; it could have been a little bit of a disaster," he said.

He said several nearby residents later thanked him for helping stop the fire before it spread.

"None of us want to see a wildfire start off here," Erwin said. "I've been up here a long time. I love this area. I'd hate to see something like that happen."

Xcel Energy is reminding residents that any downed power line should be treated as energized and dangerous. Anyone who encounters a downed line should stay away and report it immediately by calling (800) 895-1999.

Editor's note: Xcel Energy says, "This incident occurred on Tuesday morning due to an electrical event. Xcel Energy crews arrived promptly. One firefighter was on scene and there was evidence of a small ignition."