Colorado wildfires: Lee Fire grows to more than 100K acres amid 'near-critical' weather
Share and Follow


Update: The Lee Fire has now grown to be the 5th largest wildfire in state history. Follow the latest updates here.

DENVER (KDVR) One of the fires burning now more than 100,000 acres in Rio Blanco County in northwest Colorado continues to grow during ongoing “near-critical fire weather” conditions, though fire crews are slowly starting to contain the blaze.

The Lee Fire, one of two fires in Rio Blanco County in addition to the much smaller Elk Fire, has burned 106,672 acres near the town of Meeker. The Elk Fire has held relatively steady at 14,635 acres, fire officials reported Sunday morning.

Both fires do have some containment, according to officials, with the Elk Fire 9% contained and the Lee Fire 6% contained. More than 1,000 personnel are working on fire response.

The Lee Fire is the 6th largest fire in Colorado history, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.

“Although crews were able to make excellent progress with firefighting efforts, and there was less smoke in the air as days before, firefighters still saw extreme fire behavior today,” officials said in a Saturday night post.

The extreme fire behavior was likely to continue Sunday amid low humidity, gusty winds and a lack of cloud coverage.

“The very dry fuels with the expected weather could result in extreme fire behavior in some areas of the fire,” officials said Sunday morning.

Several areas of Rio Blanco County and Garfield County are under evacuation or pre-evacuation notices.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Massive crowds line up in the rain at Ole Miss for Turning Point USA event with VP Vance, Erika Kirk

Record-Breaking Turnout: Thousands Brave Rain for Turning Point USA at Ole Miss with VP Vance & Erika Kirk

On a rainy Wednesday afternoon, the campus of the University of Mississippi…
CBP seizes 163 exotic pets at border in smuggling attempt

Border Officials Confiscate 163 Exotic Animals in Smuggling Bust

MISSION, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A driver was intercepted by U.S. Customs and…
Insiders bet on the longest shutdown in government history

Experts Predict Unprecedented Duration for Government Shutdown

The United States government has been at a standstill for a full…
Floyd Roger Myers Jr. dead at 42: Actor who played young Will Smith on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air suffered heart attack at home

Tragic Loss: ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ Star Passes Away at 42 Following Heart Attack

Floyd Roger Myers Jr., recognized for his role as a young Will…
‘I was so startled’: Five Points worker recalls break-in as city moves to improve safety

Five Points Break-In Sparks Urgent Safety Overhaul: Employee Shares Shocking Experience

After a series of burglaries, business owners are expressing relief as a…
JD Vance, Erika Kirk key speakers for TPUSA tour at Ole Miss

JD Vance and Erika Kirk Headline TPUSA Tour at Ole Miss: A Major Event for Conservative Voices

Seven weeks have passed since conservative activist Charlie Kirk was tragically assassinated,…
Trump heard on hot mic teasing plans for summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping

Trump Caught on Hot Mic Discussing Potential Summit with China’s President Xi Jinping

President Donald Trump is preparing for a pivotal meeting with Chinese President…
Police use Flock cameras to wrongfully accuse Denver woman of theft

Flock Cameras Misfire: Denver Woman Falsely Accused of Theft – A Cautionary Tale

A Denver resident claims she was mistakenly accused of theft after authorities…