While recreating near Summit Lake Campground, Randy Kelley of Steamboat Springs witnessed a large helicopter collect water from the lake just feet in front of him.

The chopper was likely gathering water to quickly extinguish a small fire that broke out nearby on Soda Mountain. Kelley said it was making a trip every five minutes or so.

Craig Interagency Dispatch got a call about the fire on Soda Mountain on Buffalo Pass at 9:20 a.m. according to its WildWeb information center. The fire was recorded at 0.1 acres and was burning in an area with spruce and fir trees as fuel. The information center reports the fire was contained at 3:38 p.m. on Friday.

The Soda Mountain fire is just one of numerous small starts on Forest Service land that have been snuffed out quickly this summer according to Aaron Voos, public affairs specialist with the U.S. Forest Service.

To reach Shelby Reardon, call 970-871-4253, email sreardon@SteamboatPilot.com or follow her on Twitter @ByShelbyReardon.

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