By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
The call went out just after 12:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon for a report of a fire just north of the Raton Golf Course. Upon arrival in the area there was another fire spotted to the east above Hogan Drive.
Shortly after the call went out Raton Fire Chief Anthony Burk put out the call for help and requested that residents in the Country Club area of Raton and the Old Pass be put on alert to be ready to move out should the fire get out of control. Due to the extreme dry conditions in the area fire units from Cimarron, Colfax County Rapid Response, Vermejo Park and Philmont responded to the call. KC&MC services sent a dozer to help with the containment efforts.
Country Club Drive was closed for most of the afternoon restricting access to residents only.
The fire was small staying on the ground consuming the dry grass and thankfully for the light winds in the area it didn’t spread up into the dry evergreens where it could have quickly increased is size. The second fire above Hogan was quickly brought under control and extinguished by 3:00 p.m.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, however due to its location and the lack of ignition sources in the area human caused is very likely to blame according to Chief Burk. Burk told KRTN that the fire consumed only two acres and that fire crews had left the area just after 6:00 p.m. Thursday evening.
