It was a good weekend for the Decker Fire. Growth was minimal, increasing only 200 acres Saturday into Sunday.

The Decker Fire is now listed at 6,155 acres with 5 percent containment. 830 firefighting personnel are currently working the fire. 

Also, evacuations were partially lifted yesterday. Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze lifted the evacuations for Fawn Ridge Subdivision as well as residents evacuated from County Road 110, 111, 111a and residents of Mountain Vista Estates and the residences accessed above Mountain Vista Estates from County Road 104. 

Re-entry for residents started yesterday at 3 pm. 

All residents who are allowed back into their homes will be kept under pre-evacuation status and are reminded to be read to evacuate if the need arises. 

All residents still under evacuation order will be notified of a public meeting to discuss fire progress. 

A pre-evacuation notice remains in effect for the communities of Howard, Pine Ridge, Wellsville, and Swissvale. 

Hand line and dozer lines continue to be built to protect the eastern portion of the fire toward the Howard area.     

The National Weather Service has issued an Air Quality Health Advisory. 

Elevated fire weather conditions due to dry conditions, gusty winds and above seasonal temperatures continue.

The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service have both issued Stage II Fire Restrictions for all BLM and Forest Service administered lands in Lake, Chaffee, Custer, and Fremont counties and Saguache County east of Highway 285.     

Chaffee County remains under Stage II Fire Restrictions as well. Stage II Fire Restrictions prohibit ALL open fires, including charcoal fires. 

There are multiple road closures around the Decker Fire are in Chaffee, Fremont and Saguache Counties. 

The Bureau of Land Management Royal Gorge Office has closed all BLM lands south of Highway 50 in Chaffee and Fremont Counties. The San Luis Valley Field Office has closed all BLM lands in Saguache County east of Highway 285 from Poncha Pass on the north to Rock Creek on the south.

The Colorado Department of Transportation has issued a speed reduction on Highway 50 east of Salida. 

The speed limit has been reduced to 40 mph for a seven mile stretch from Salida to Wellsville.  

CDOT is also urging the public not to park along the highways to look at or take pictures of the Decker Fire.  The highways must be kept clear with no obstructions for fire and emergency personnel and equipment moving in the area.     

The Salida Post Office is holding all mail addressed to evacuees, you can pick up your mail at the post office.

The City of Salida is keeping the Salida Hot Springs Aquatic Center open instead of following through with a planned closure, so that they may provide free showers to firefighters and evacuees. Call 539-6738 to learn how you can access the showers. 

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Dan R

Danny “Dan R” Ridenour has been in radio and television broadcasting for over 40 years, starting as a senior in high school in Rogers, Arkansas. His radio career has had stops in Nashville, Memphis, Oklahoma, and eventually, Colorado. Dan enjoys being involved in the community, having been a member of the Upper Arkansas Service Club and is currently on the board of directors for the Salida Community Center and is a member of the Chaffee County Fair Committee. He and his wife Carrie spend their days doing everything the mountains have to offer: hiking, camping, fishing and skiing. They've raised 3 children and have 2 grandchildren.

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