Latest news with #ColoradoDivisionofFirePreventionandControl
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Colorado wildfires: Lee Fire grows to more than 100K acres amid ‘near-critical' weather
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. Colorado Wildfire Map 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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Climate
- Newsweek
Colorado Prison Evacuated As Lee Fire Explodes to Over 113,000 Acres
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A prison in Colorado has been evacuated as one of the largest wildfires in the state's history, called the Lee Fire, continues to blaze. Why It Matters Wildfires like the Lee Fire in Colorado are especially dangerous because they burn through dry forests and brush made more flammable by climate change. With hot, dry, and windy weather expected to continue, firefighters are facing tough conditions to contain the blaze. What To Know The Lee Fire has burned over 113,000 acres across Rio Blanco and Garfield counties, west of Denver. The fire has been 7 percent contained as of the early hours of Monday morning. All incarcerated people at the Rifle Correctional Center, 179 in total, were evacuated on Saturday night out of "an abundance of caution to ensure the safety of all individuals involved," the Colorado Department of Corrections said in a press release. They were moved to the Buena Vista Correctional Complex, outside the fire-affected area. The Lee Fire has now become the sixth-largest single fire in the state's history, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. The Gifford Fire burns in Los Padres National Forest, California, on August 2, 2025, as the Lee Fire continues to spread in Colorado. The Gifford Fire burns in Los Padres National Forest, California, on August 2, 2025, as the Lee Fire continues to spread in Colorado. BENJAMIN HANSON/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images Another wildfire in Colorado, the Elk Fire, is burning 11 miles to the east across more than 14,500 acres. Eleven zones across the Rio Blanco and Garfield counties are under evacuation orders. No injuries or structural damage have been reported at this time. Over a thousand fire personnel are responding to the blazes, according to authorities. Firefighters working on the southern end of the Lee Fire are facing challenges due to the weather and drought conditions, the official Elk and Lee Fire Information Facebook page said on Sunday. What People Are Saying Bethany Urban, a fire information officer with Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 3 told NPR: "This is the kind of fire that is really driven in part by the significant drought-stressed fuels that are out there. "It doesn't actually take that much of a wind to get this fire up and moving in these kinds of fuels." Garfield County said in an update on Sunday evening: "The weather, coupled with drought conditions, continues to create challenges for firefighters on the southern end of the Lee Fire. As the fire continues to move, fire managers are preparing a strategic plan of the expected movement." What Happens Next Locals are advised to keep up to date on evacuation notices for their areas and be prepared to leave if necessary. Firefighters will continue working to contain the blazes.
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Climate
- Shafaq News
Massive wildfires ravage Western US
Shafaq News – Colorado / California Wildfires raging across multiple US states have forced mass evacuations, destroyed homes, and stretched firefighting crews to their limits, local media reported Monday. In Colorado, the 'Lee' fire has consumed more than 167 square miles (433 square km) across Garfield and Rio Blanco counties, with containment at just 6%. According to state officials, all 179 inmates from Rifle Correctional Center were rescued and relocated to the Buena Vista Correctional Complex, about 150 miles (240 km) away. The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control has also reported that more than 1,000 firefighters are working to prevent the blaze from crossing Colorado Highway 13 and County Road 5. Fueled by dense trees and brush roughly 250 miles (400 km) west of Denver, the fire ranks as the sixth-largest single wildfire in state history. In southern California, crews have contained 62% of the 'Canyon' fire, which has burned roughly 8 square miles (20 square km), destroyed seven buildings, and forced evacuations since it ignited last week near the Los Angeles–Ventura county line. Farther north, the 'Gifford' fire — California's largest this year — has scorched more than 180 square miles (466 square km) in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Wildfires in the western United States rise during summer months as dry vegetation, high temperatures, and strong winds fuel rapid fire spread. In 2024, the region saw more than 7.6 million acres (3 million hectares) burn, including five fires that each consumed over 100,000 acres (40,500 hectares).
NBC News
3 days ago
- Climate
- NBC News
Colorado prison evacuated as growing wildfire becomes one of the largest in state history
MEEKER, Colo. — A Colorado prison was evacuated as one of the largest wildfires in state history continued to grow, and officials warned residents of remote areas to be ready to leave Sunday as gusty winds and low humidity fed the flames. Evacuation orders were already in place for mountain communities as the Lee Fire charred more than 167 square miles across Garfield and Rio Blanco counties, with just 6% containment. No injuries or structural damage has been reported. All 179 incarcerated people were safely removed from the Rifle Correctional Center on Saturday "out of an abundance of caution," the Colorado Department of Corrections said in a statement. They were temporarily relocated about 150 miles away to the Buena Vista Correctional Complex, the department said. The Lee Fire, churning through trees and brush about 250 miles west of Denver, is now the sixth-largest single fire in the state's history, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. More than a thousand firefighters are battling the blaze, working to keep the flames to the west of Colorado 13 and north of County Road 5, officials said. Health officials issued air quality warnings related to smoke from the Lee Fire and the 23-square-mile Elk Fire burning just to the east. In Southern California, crews reached 62% containment on the 8-square-mile Canyon Fire that forced evacuations and destroyed seven structures after breaking out Thursday near the Los Angeles County and Ventura County line. Three firefighters have been injured, including a battalion chief who was seriously hurt when his pickup truck rolled over in steep terrain. The Gifford Fire, California's largest blaze so far this year, has scorched at least 180 square miles of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since erupting on Aug. 1. It was 21% contained on Sunday.
3 days ago
- Climate
Colorado prison evacuated as wildfire grows into one of largest in state history
MEEKER, Colo. -- A Colorado prison was evacuated as one of the largest wildfires in state history continued to grow, and officials warned residents of remote areas to be ready to leave Sunday as gusty winds and low humidity fed the flames. Evacuation orders were already in place for mountain communities as the Lee Fire charred more than 167 square miles (433 square kilometers) across Garfield and Rio Blanco counties, with just 6% containment. No injuries or structural damage has been reported. All 179 incarcerated people were safely removed from the Rifle Correctional Center on Saturday 'out of an abundance of caution,' the Colorado Department of Corrections said in a statement. They were temporarily relocated about 150 miles (240 kilometers) away to the Buena Vista Correctional Complex, the department said. The Lee Fire, churning through trees and brush about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Denver, is now the sixth-largest single fire in the state's history, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. More than a thousand firefighters are battling the blaze, working to keep the flames to the west of Colorado 13 and north of County Road 5, officials said. Health officials issued air quality warnings related to smoke from the Lee Fire and the 23-square-mile (60-square-kilometer) Elk Fire burning just to the east. In Southern California, crews reached 62% containment on the 8-square-mile (20-square-kilometer) Canyon Fire that forced evacuations and destroyed seven structures after breaking out Thursday near the Los Angeles County and Ventura County line. Three firefighters have been injured, including a battalion chief who was seriously hurt when his pickup truck rolled over in steep terrain. The Gifford Fire, California's largest blaze so far this year, has scorched at least 180 square miles (466 square kilometers) of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since erupting on Aug. 1. It was 21% contained on Sunday.
