DURANGO — Transportation officials are warning people in southwestern Colorado’s San Juan Mountains that some explosives used in avalanche mitigation this past winter were duds and could still go off.

The Durango Herald reports more than 630 explosives were dropped from helicopters or shot in the Colorado Department of Transportation’s southwest and south-central regions. Of those, 13 didn’t explode.

CDOT spokeswoman Lisa Schwantes says most were aimed at rugged and remote terrain in areas not accessed by the average hiker. People who come across unexploded bombs should stay away from them and call law enforcement.

Shots from a howitzer resemble a huge bullet, and rounds from CDOT’s “ava-launcher” look more like a torpedo and are usually orange or yellow.

More than 1,500 explosives were shot at avalanche paths statewide. Twenty-two were duds.

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Information from: Durango Herald, http://www.durangoherald.com

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