Colorado wildfire: 2 homes lost as Elk Fire near Meeker balloons to 2K acres
Rio Blanco officials first got word of the fire Saturday about 11 miles east of Meeker, which has since grown in size to at least 2,000 acres burned as of Sunday night at 9 p.m., the Rio Blanco County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post.
Polis declares emergency for Elk Fire, evacuations ordered
The sheriff's office said fire activity increased significantly Sunday afternoon and jumped across County Road 8 and prompted immediate evacuations. Several spot fires also jumped the White River in the area and are a 'top priority,' with helicopters engaged on those spots.
'With the aggressive fire behavior unfortunately, two houses and one outbuilding have been lost, and structures remain threatened,' the sheriff's office said.
It is one of several fires burning in the county, according to the sheriff's office, and is burning on private land, state land and Bureau of Land Management land.
An evacuation order is now in effect for County Road 8 from Mile Marker 11 to Mile Marker 16, impacting both sides of the road. An evacuation location is set up at 200 Main Street in Meeker.
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