TOWOAC, Colo. (AP) -- A fire that grew from 150 acres to 300 acres in about an hour has the potential to keep growing as it threatens American Indian archaeological sites in the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park.
Crews that had gained the upper hand on two fires in southwestern Colorado Monday, including a 2,518-acre blaze near the Mesa Verde National Park, were diverted to the fast-moving Dwelling Fire on tribal land. Fire managers were bracing for hot, windy weather Tuesday that could spread that fire farther.
''The fire danger is so extreme in these lower elevations that we can't afford not to suppress it _ it would be a runaway fire,'' said Pam Wilson, fire information officer for San Juan Public Lands.
Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park covers more than twice the acreage of nearby Mesa Verde. Pottery shards, corn cobs and grinding stones are scattered on the grounds, which are accessible only by prior arrangement with Ute Mountain Ute guides.
''World-class archaeological resources are threatened,'' said Tom Rice, director of the tribe's Environmental Department. ''That area is extremely rich in prehistoric cultural resources, including Anasazi sites that date from the Puebloan period. We're very pleased with the amount of effort that's trying to protect these valued resources.''
No structures were threatened, and fire managers did not immediately know if any of the archaeological sites were damaged. No cause had been determined.
The Dwelling Fire was burning in pinon juniper, mountain shrub, sage and other perennial grasses. Larry Trapp, deputy incident commander with the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team, compared how vegetation was burning Monday to lighting dried crumpled newspaper.
The fire near Mesa Verde was 50 percent contained Monday night and was threatening one commercial building. Crews were able to remove 16 structures, including nine homes, from the list of threatened property Monday.
Officials also reduced its estimate of acres burned from 2,800 to 2,518 after further mapping of the fire, said Larry Helmerick, a spokesman for the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center. The blaze, which started Thursday, was believed to have been caused by lightning.
More than 400 firefighters were fighting that blaze and the Dwelling Fire.
A fire near Norwood, also in southwestern Colorado, grew from 250 to 500 acres Monday, but firefighters said it also was 50 percent contained. Three homes were no longer believed to be threatened by the fire, which was started by lightning on Friday.
More than 70 firefighters and two helicopter were on the lines.
Four other Colorado blazes totaling about 4,400 acres were considered ''ecological restoration'' fires benefiting the environment.
