08/10/2026
The Ferris Fire began on June 27, 2026, when lightning ignited the Far Draw, Doe Canyon and Ferris fires northwest of Dolores. After the three incidents merged, the fire expanded rapidly through dry, windy and very hot conditions. It grew from 19,613 acres on June 30 to more than 60,000 acres by July 8, eventually reaching about 64,881 acres. The fire’s growth slowed in mid-July as monsoonal moisture brought rain, clouds and higher humidity to the region. By late July, containment had risen into the mid-to-upper 90-percent range, and resources began to be shifted to other fires across the West.
The area was recently opened to the public to see for ourselves the impact the fire has left behind. We know fire acts as a positive agent of change for both ecosystems and landscapes. As fire consumes vegetation, it can release nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium into the topsoil, increasing fertility and encouraging new growth. However, intense, high-temperature fires can cause soils to become hydrophobic, shunting water absorption and increasing the risk of flash flooding.
What we saw along the rim of the Dolores was a mosaic of both. Small areas of high intensity, areas that seemed less so, areas devoid of any vegetation at all. We won’t know the extent of the impact to the Ponderosas in the Gorge until the spring, as often whether or not the roots burned play a role in tree mortality.
It is a paradoxical experience viewing our beloved Ponderosa Gorge reshaped by fire. Knowing on one hand that fire is a vital ecological process, but on the other, an acknowledgment that ponderosa pine forests are highly endangered and undergoing a massive ecological collapse across the American West.
The namesake canyon, where old growth ponderosas held guard over the ancient river, has been changed beyond the span of our human generation, and well into a future unknown. What is certain: Ponderosa Gorge is still indelibly beautiful.
