15-Acre Brush Fire Near Blanco Breaks Out in San Juan County

A brush fire burning west of Blanco forced evacuations south of Lions Park and sent heavy smoke drifting across San Juan County on March 28, with San Juan County Fire & Rescue warning additional evacuation orders could follow.

The blaze, officially designated the #4800Fire, ignited at approximately 1:00 p.m. MDT and burned south of Highway 4800, roughly 15 miles east of Farmington. Crews were actively working the fire east of Bloomfield as officials coordinated with numerous local and federal agencies to deploy enough resources to the scene. The cause had not been determined.

Four structures were evacuated as fire crews cleared residents from south of Lions Park. San Juan County Fire & Rescue warned that conditions could require additional evacuation orders as the situation developed. Those displaced were directed to the Walter Collins Center and the Upper Fruitland Chapter House. The Lower Valley Senior Center near Road 6668 opened as a relief point for people leaving the area but subsequently closed.

By 5:17 p.m., officials confirmed the fire remained south of the San Juan River, keeping it from pushing into areas to the north. A follow-up update at 7:48 p.m. held the fire's total footprint at 15 acres. Officials said they "don't expect the fire to spread," though they anticipated it would continue burning through the evening with crews remaining on scene.

No injuries were reported in official updates, and no structural damage assessments had been released. A local wildfire spotter was actively providing coordinates and field updates to support suppression operations. Officials said the multi-agency response was focused on fielding enough crews to keep the fire from growing beyond its 15-acre perimeter.