Air Operations provided these images of fire impacted areas. These images also illustrate protection efforts of values at risk.
Image 1: Looking west from just south of Meeker, Colorado. The burned area is referred as the Hogback and is where the Lee Fire had crossed Highway 13 on Wednesday August 6, 2025. The image was taken from Air Operations on August 14, 2025.
Image 2: This is an image from Air Operations on August 14, 2025, of the intersection of County Road 5 and Highway 13. This is the southeast edge of the fire where strategic firing operations were conducted to improve the road systems as a holding point with the highest probability of success. These firing operations remove fuels to allow firefighters the opportunity to go direct and hold the fire as it approaches and runs out of fuels to burn.
Image 3: This image, taken on August 14, 2025, shows how the Lee Fire burned around the oil and gas infrastructure and minimized the impacts to operations. Some critical values at risk, such as oil and gas infrastructure, have buffer requirements for vegetation for reducing wildfire risk. The lower half of this photo illustrates use of fire retardant during suppression efforts.
Image 4: This image, taken on August 14, 2025, is looking south of Highway 64, just west of the Town of Meeker. On August 6, 2025, when the Lee Fire crossed Highway 13 and progressed towards Meeker, firefighters protected critical values at risk, such as private properties, as seen in this image of the burned area on the northeast edge of the fire.
Size: Elk Fire: 14,518 acres | Lee Fire: 133,954 acres Total Personnel: 1,230 Containment: Elk Fire: 93% | Lee Fire 31% Cause: Lightning Resources: 9 Aircraft | 27 Hand Crews | 82 Engines | 46 Heavy Equipment
Special Announcement: A community meeting for the Lee and Elk fires will be held tonight at 7:00 P.M. at the Meeker High School, 550 School St, in Meeker, Colorado.
Important Notes: The Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office downgraded several evacuation zones from GO (red) to SET (yellow) and from SET to READY (green). The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office downgraded Zone 70 on the east side of Highway 13 in northern Garfield County from GO (red) to SET (yellow). Other zones have not changed. Check your evacuation zone on the interactive map: http://bit.ly/lee-fire-zones. Yesterday: Lee Fire – Firefighters made progress, increasing containment to 31% along the Highway 13 corridor. Crews remained engaged on the southern portion of Highway 13. Work continued near Hogback Ridge, where firefighters patrolled and reinforced lines around structures and areas around County Road 5, and other values at risk. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) were used across the fire to detect isolated areas of heat. Vegetation burned slowly inside the fire perimeter near County Road 5 and County Road 3, removing unburned fuel pockets and supporting control efforts.
Elk Fire: Crews focused on unburned fuels inside the north and west edges of the fire perimeter to strengthen containment. Suppression repair continued to restore hand and dozer lines to a more natural condition.
Current Situation: Rain fell over both fires last night ranging from .05â€â€“ 0.1†of an inch and helped to moderate fire behavior. The increase in moisture and humidity will help firefighters as they continue to suppress the fire.
Lee Fire – Crews are holding and reinforcing control lines. On the north side, firefighters continue to monitor, patrol, and reinforce lines. Firefighters are working along Highway 13 using saws, chippers, and heavy equipment to remove hazards. The southern edge remains most active, with crews improving containment lines to limit the potential for fire to spread outside of the perimeter. Firefighters will continue to patrol and protect structures and other values at risk.
Elk Fire: Firefighters will continue to reinforce containment line, patrol and mop up hotspots, while coordinating suppression repair plans with landowners and managers. Crews are also focused on the remaining uncontained section of the fire, with resources in place to prepare for transition to local units. Work continues on preparing contingency lines. These secondary lines will provide firefighters the opportunity to hold the fire with the highest probability of success if extreme conditions occur and push the fire outside existing containment lines.
Weather & Fire Behavior: A morning temperature inversion may bring fog and high humidity, with a chance of isolated showers during the day. Temperatures will reach the low 80s with west/northwest winds. Fuel moisture remains low, and significant precipitation would be needed to return levels to normal. Conditions will dry into the evening and a drying trend is expected to continue through mid-week, with a potential return of monsoonal conditions later in the week.
Evacuations and Closures: CR 5 and Hwy 13 remain closed. For the most up-to-date road closure information, please visit www.COtrip.org or use the COtrip app. To sign up for Garfield County Emergency Alerts, go to: https://garco911.com/. For Garfield County updates go to: https://www.garfieldcounty.net/. Go to the Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/
Rio Blanco County Sheriffs Office – for accurate up-to-date information on all evacuations and road closures. Sign up for emergency alerts at: https://rioblancoalerts.genasys.com/portal/en. White River National Forest closure information at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/whiteriver/alerts. BLM White River Field Office closures information at: https://ow.ly/78uF50WGjNW.
Elk and Lee Fire Information: Phone: 970-341-8665; Email: 2025.elkrbx@firenet.gov Facebook: www.facebook.com/elkleefire Inciweb Lee Fire: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cowrd-lee-fire Inciweb Elk Fire: https://inceb.wildfire.gov/incident-infrmation/cowrd-elk-rbx-fire
Recursos: 9 aviones | 27 cuadrillas | 82 camiones de bomberos | 46 maquinaria pesada Anuncio especial: Esta noche a las 7:00 p.m. se llevará a cabo una reunión comunitaria por los incendios de Lee y Elk en la Escuela Secundaria Meeker, 550 School St, en Meeker, Colorado. Notas importantes: La Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de RÃo Blanco degradó varias zonas de evacuación de GO (rojo) a SET (amarillo) y de SET a READY (verde). La Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Garfield degradó la Zona 70 en el lado este de la autopista 13 en el norte del condado de Garfield de GO (rojo) a SET (amarillo). Otras zonas no han cambiado. Verifique su zona de evacuación en el mapa interactivo: http://bit.ly/lee-fire-zones.
Ayer: Incendio Lee – Los bomberos avanzaron, aumentando la contención al 31% a lo largo del corredor de la autopista 13. Las cuadrillas permanecieron comprometidas en la parte sur de la autopista 13. El trabajo continuó cerca de Hogback Ridge, donde los bomberos patrullaron y reforzaron las lÃneas alrededor de las estructuras y áreas alrededor de County Road 5, y otros valores en riesgo. Se utilizaron sistemas de aeronaves no tripuladas (UAS por sus siglas en ingles pero conocidos como drone) en todo el incendio para detectar áreas aisladas de calor. La vegetación se quemó lentamente dentro del perÃmetro del incendio cerca de County Road 5 y County Road 3, eliminando bolsas de combustible no quemado y apoyando los esfuerzos de control. Incendio Elk – Las cuadrillas se centraron en los combustibles no quemados dentro de los bordes norte y oeste del perÃmetro del incendio para fortalecer la contención. La reparación de supresión continuó restaurando las lÃneas de mano y topadora a una condición más natural.
Situación actual: La lluvia cayó sobre ambos incendios anoche entre .05 “y 0.1” de pulgada y ayudó a moderar el comportamiento del fuego. El aumento de la humedad ayudará a los bomberos a medida que continúan sofocando el fuego.
Incendio Lee – Las cuadrillas están manteniendo y reforzando las lÃneas de control. En el lado norte, los bomberos continúan monitoreando, patrullando y reforzando las lÃneas. Los bomberos están trabajando a lo largo de la autopista 13 utilizando sierras, astilladoras y equipo pesado para eliminar los peligros. El borde sur sigue siendo el más activo, con equipos que mejoran las lÃneas de contención para limitar la posibilidad de que el fuego se propague fuera del perÃmetro. Los bomberos continuarán patrullando y protegiendo estructuras y otros valores en riesgo.
Comportamiento del clima y el fuego: Una inversión de temperatura matutina puede traer niebla y alta humedad, con la posibilidad de lluvias aisladas durante el dÃa. Las temperaturas alcanzarán los 80 grados bajos con vientos del oeste / noroeste. La humedad del combustible sigue siendo baja y se necesitarÃan precipitaciones significativas para que los niveles vuelvan a la normalidad. Las condiciones se secarán hasta la noche y se espera que continúe una tendencia de secado hasta mediados de semana, con un posible regreso de las condiciones monzónicas más adelante en la semana.
Evacuaciones y cierres: CR 5 y Hwy 13 permanecen cerradas. Para obtener la información más actualizada sobre el cierre de carreteras, visite http://www.COtrip.org o utilice la aplicación COtrip. Para inscribirse en las alertas de emergencia del condado de Garfield, visite: https://garco911.com/. Para obtener actualizaciones del condado de Garfield, visite: https://www.garfieldcounty.net/. Vaya a la página de Facebook de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de RÃo Blanco – https://www.facebook.com/RioBlancoCountySheriffsOffice – para obtener información precisa y actualizada sobre todas las evacuaciones y cierres de carreteras. RegÃstrese para recibir alertas de emergencia en: https://rioblancoalerts.genasys.com/portal/en. Información sobre el cierre del Bosque Nacional White River en: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/whiteriver/alerts. Información sobre los cierres de la oficina de campo de BLM White River en: https://ow.ly/78uF50WGjNW.
8.16.25, 7:29 a.m. – Good morning from the Elk and Lee Fires, where conditions are pleasantly damp this morning. The fires received between .05 and .1 inches of rain last night. Skies are expected to clear this morning and firefighters will take advantage of wetter conditions to mop up, patrol, and secure firelines. Warmer, drier weather conditions are expected over the next few days.
Critical fire weather is expected again tomorrow with hot, dry, windy conditions. Crews will continue constructing and securing fireline on both fires, along with patrolling and mopping up on the Elk Fire and working to limit the Lee Fire’s southern spread.
We understand how important Highway 13 is as a lifeline for travel, commerce, and daily life, and Hogback Ridge as a defining part of the local landscape. Our operations are focused on protecting both and restoring safe access as soon as it’s possible to do so.
*The reduction in reported acreage on the Elk Fire is due to better mapping.
Expect hotter, drier conditions today with strong winds shifting from north to west, making fire activity more likely and raising the risk of fire growth. Crews are working to strengthen fire lines, especially on the southern end of the Lee Fire. Air support will be assisting ground teams throughout the day as conditions allow.
Stay safe, keep an eye on conditions, and please check official sources for the latest updates!
Today, crews will be working on both fires to secure unburned pockets of fuel, strengthen indirect and containment lines, and protect values at risk. Aviation resources, including helicopters and UAS, will be supporting suppression efforts throughout the day, especially as smoke clears.
Please continue to use caution near the fire area.
Effective immediately, in the interest of firefighter and public safety, certain public lands managed by BLM White River Field Office in Rio Blanco County are temporarily closed until the #LeeFire is declared controlled or this order is rescinded.
Entry is prohibited, and violators face federal penalties, including fines and imprisonment. Please stay out of the closed area to avoid interfering with firefighting operations.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for tonight’s community meeting in Rifle. Your questions, input, and support mean so much to our firefighters, partner agencies, and everyone working to support the response.
If you couldn’t attend, the meeting recording will be posted here soon so you can watch at your convenience.
The Lee Fire is 116,859 acres and 6% contained.
Containment dropped slightly due to the increase in acreage. Firefighters are facing very active fire behavior, including fast-moving flames pushed by the wind. Today, crews focused on protecting homes and infrastructure and identifying potential containment lines.
The Elk Fire is 14,549 acres and 30% contained.
The smaller acreage reported this morning is the result of more accurate mapping. Thanks to favorable winds and strong firefighting efforts, growth has remained minimal. Crews are strengthening fire lines and securing unburned areas inside the perimeter.
8-12-25, 6:06 p.m. – We are excited to confirm that the Garfield Re-2 School District will open school tomorrow, Wednesday, August 13.
Thank you to our technology and facilities teams for working diligently on our school-level communication issues created by the Lee and Elk RBX fires.
The change in weather conditions has improved the air quality for our staff, and we will have adequate staff for operations and schools to function safely.
Some important notes:
Please be sure that you have updated your child’s information in PowerSchool. This is for two reasons: first so we have good contact information for you in the event of an emergency, and second, to ensure that your child’s health clerk knows if your child has a chronic condition or respiratory issue that may be impacted if the air quality deteriorates;
Understand that conditions may change day to day based on fire behavior, so please be patient with our Principals, coaches, and athletic directors.
If your child does have a chronic condition or respiratory issue, be sure that the health clerk has all appropriate medications for your child;
All of our schools have filtered HVAC systems. We will monitor outdoor air quality closely and adjust our outside air intake accordingly;
Each traditional classroom is equipped with a HEPA air purifier. The air purifiers have new filters. These filters do remove smoke, odors, and other particulates;
All schools will have both regular and N95 masks available for any student or staff member if they so choose;
If your child eats school lunch, the school lunch menu has been updated.
Principals and Athletic Directors will be closely monitoring the air quality. They will be using the air quality feature through Watch Duty and Garfield County Air Quality – Rifle.
We understand this is an anxious time for many families. If your household is directly impacted by the Elk RBX or Lee fires, please take the time you need to care for your loved ones and your safety. We look forward to welcoming your children back as soon as conditions allow.
We appreciate your patience, understanding, and flexibility during this challenging time. We are deeply grateful to all of the firefighters and emergency personnel working tirelessly to protect our communities. Thank you, and we look forward to welcoming your child to school tomorrow, Wednesday, August 13.
Garfield Re-2 Administration
8-10-25, 7:17 p.m. – As a precautionary measure, the Garfield Re-2 School District will delay the start of the school year.
The Elk RBX and Lee fires have affected communications at several schools, and poor air quality has left us without enough staff to safely open.
There will be no school on Monday, August 11, or Tuesday, August 12. We are working to restore communications, ensure adequate staffing, and monitor conditions closely. We plan to open on Wednesday, August 13, if conditions allow. We will update you no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday to confirm.
All athletic practices are also canceled for Monday and Tuesday.
We understand this is an anxious time for many families. If your household is directly impacted by the Elk RBX or Lee fires, please take the time you need to care for your loved ones and your safety. We look forward to welcoming your children back as soon as conditions allow.
We appreciate your patience, understanding, and flexibility during this challenging time. We are deeply grateful to the local, state, and federal emergency responders and firefighters working tirelessly to protect our communities.
If you have any additional questions, please contact the Garfield Re-2 District Office at 970-665-7600.
