La Plata County officials are dispelling rumors of looting in the evacuated areas affected by the 416 Fire.
“The rumors are unsubstantiated,” county spokeswoman Megan Graham said Friday evening. “Law enforcement has been working actively to make sure that didn’t happen, and they’ve been successful in doing so.”
The first evacuations to be ordered because of the 416 Fire were June 1, the day the fire ignited about 10 miles north of Durango.
As the fire grew and threatened more homes from the Animas Valley north to Purgatory Resort, more than 2,000 homes were evacuated.
In days since, many residents have been able to return to their homes as firefighters successfully fended off flames from populated areas. Despite the fire growing to more than 32,000 acres, no homes or structures have been lost.
The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office has received no reports of stolen property since residents started to return home, Graham said.
About 230 homes remained evacuated as of Friday night, with about 2,000 more homes on pre-evacuation notice.
Graham said law enforcement has been patrolling neighborhoods since evacuations began to make sure homes are safe.
Authorities escorted cars that were allowed to enter the closed areas that were not part of the firefighting effort, she said.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
