Flash flooding hits Ferris Burn Scar, washes out roads near Dolores
Debris flows from the Ferris Burn Scar washed out roads near Dolores and left sections of CO 145 near Rico impassable as a flood warning expired at 7 p.m. MDT.
Heavy rain sent debris flows through the Ferris Burn Scar in northwestern Dolores County, washing out roads in steep terrain near Dolores and leaving sections of CO 145 near the Dolores River by Rico impassable because of water. A federal flash flood warning for the burn scar expired at 7 p.m. MDT after excess runoff ended, but the warning covered a landscape already stripped by the Ferris Fire.
The Ferris Fire began on June 27 about 15 miles northwest of Dolores and spread quickly across Dolores County and nearby Montezuma County, forcing evacuations and a Disaster Emergency response from Gov. Jared Polis as fire behavior intensified. By July 6, the fire had grown to 47,780 acres with 21% containment. Later mapping put the burn at 64,869 acres with 53% containment, while Watch Duty put it at 64,881 acres and 59% containment.
Heavy rain cannot soak into scorched ground the way it does in a healthy forest. Water races off steep slopes, gathers ash, rock and loose soil, and turns into fast-moving debris flows that can overrun roadbeds, drainages and low crossings in minutes. In the Ferris area, that put the Dolores-to-Rico corridor, especially the road along the Dolores River, at risk whenever storms moved in.
Officials held a July 8 community meeting for residents. The USDA Forest Service-San Juan National Forest scheduled the meeting for 6 p.m. at the Dolores County Public Service Center, Road and Bridge, 8477 Road 7.7 in Dove Creek, with livestreams on the San Juan National Forest Facebook page and the California Incident Management Team 7 YouTube channel.
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