The Papoose Fire burned in the Weminuche Wilderness but has burned into surrounding areas in the San Juan and Rio Grande National Forests and private land. The fires, particularly the West Fork fire, burned in dead trees killed by the spruce beetle. Due to the intensity of the West Fork fire which for some days was burning in windy conditions no attempt was made to directly attack it. The Papoose Fire burned nearly 50,000 acres and I recently went to the area; two years later to check out the sights.