Overview

• Latest mapping shows the Lee Fire at 116,859 acres with containment slipping to 6%, making it Colorado’s fifth-largest single wildfire on record.
• More than 1,000 firefighters supported by 12 aircraft, hand crews, engines and heavy equipment focus on strengthening lines near Highways 64 and 13 to shield Meeker and surrounding communities.
• Governor Jared Polis’s disaster emergency declaration has mobilized National Guard units and federal aid after FEMA warned that over 5,100 buildings and 2,000 homes remain under threat.
• The Elk Fire east of Meeker is holding at about 14,600 acres with containment climbing to 30% following updated mapping efforts.
• Forecasts of low humidity, gusty winds and no significant rainfall until the weekend threaten to drive further growth across the fire’s 170-mile perimeter.