There will be a public meeting tonight at 7pm at the Colorado Mountain College, Rifle Campus. A Spanish interpreter will be present.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect today, with high temperatures, low humidity, and shifting winds expected to increase fire activity and spotting potential.
Crews on both fires are using a mix of direct and indirect strategies to secure edges, protect homes and other values at risk, and address spot fires. Aircraft are supporting ground efforts and adjusting operations to improve safety as conditions change.
The change in acreage is due to better mapping overnight.
August 13, 2025, 4:42 p.m. – Critical fire weather arrived as forecasted, bringing hot, dry conditions and increasing west-northwest winds that have driven more active fire behavior and are challenging containment lines. Operations today, including strategic firing, have gone as planned, with ground crews receiving support from aerial resources, including the Chinook helicopter shown here.
El borde sur del incendio Lee ha llegado a la línea del condado de Garfield, lo que provocó los cambios mencionados anteriormente en el estado de evacuación.
Las zonas 81 y 85 están en la parte superior de la meseta de Roan en el paisaje industrial y el área BLM (ya bajo cierre), no son áreas residenciales.
La planificación estratégica de los administradores de incendios incluye múltiples líneas secundarias y de contingencia entre el borde del incendio y el borde sur de la meseta de Roan.
Como recordatorio:
SALIR = Evacuar inmediatamente su zona. Salga ahora: peligro en su zona.
SET = Posible evacuación con poca antelación en su zona. Prepárese para evacuaciones repentinas. Salga ahora si necesita más tiempo.
PREPARADO = Posible evacuación en su zona. Prepare, vigile y empaque sus objetos de valor.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025 – 11:01 am Size: Elk Fire: 14,549 acres | Lee Fire: 120,650 acres Total Personnel: 1,284 Containment: Elk Fire: 75% | Lee Fire 4% Cause: Lightning Resources: 14 Aircraft | 26 Hand Crews | 77 Engines | 10 Heavy Equipment
Important Notes: The decrease in containment for the Lee Fire is due to an increase in acreage and expansion of the perimeter of the fire. Existing containment lines have not been lost. Critical fire weather is expected today on the Lee Fire. Shifting winds with hot, dry temperatures will challenge firefighters, especially on the southern portion.
Yesterday: Lee Fire – Firefighters on the northwest side of the Lee Fire were able to take advantage of favorable weather to construct firelines directly at its edge. Strategic firing operations on the southwest side of the fire were conducted as planned with moderate fire behavior and good success in strengthening the line along County Road 5 and County Road 3. Firefighters continued reinforcing containment lines on the north and east side of the fire and along Highway 13. They also continued securing lines around structures and other values at risk. Firefighters faced challenging conditions as they worked on the spot fire south of County Road 5. Air tankers and helicopters assisted these efforts, focusing on slowing fire spread. Night shift continued firing operations on the southeast of Cow Creek to limit the potential for fire spread to the south.
Elk Fire: Firefighters made significant progress around the perimeter of the Elk Fire. Crews continued to mop-up and patrol to eliminate hotspots and reinforce containment lines. Some flare up occurred overnight as the fire reached unburned pockets of fuels inside the fire perimeter. Firefighters working on structure protection continued to patrol around structures and other values at risk.
Current Situation: Lee Fire – Active fire behavior is expected, especially in the southern area. Critical fire weather will bring shifting winds, low humidity, and hotter temperatures that will challenge existing lines along Highway 13. Crews will continue to monitor and improve containment lines west of Highway 13 and south of Highway 64. Firefighters will work on constructing firelines around the spot fire below County Road 5. Firefighters will continue to scout and construct containment lines in the southern area by incorporating roads, trails and natural features that would inhibit fire growth. Constructing indirect or secondary lines provides firefighters with the opportunity to work the fire on their terms with the highest probability of success of protecting values at risk.
Elk Fire: Crews will continue reinforcing containment lines off County Road 8 and in the Beaver Creek area as they patrol and mop up any hotspots. Crew will continue working to secure lines on the west side of the fire. Crews are working toward the goal to fully secure the perimeter of the fire.
Weather & Fire Behavior: Critical fire weather is expected today. Winds will shift to the west/northwest. Hotter and dryer conditions will prevail. Relative humidity will be at 7-10 percent. There is a potential for the development of large plumes of smoke and possibly of Pyrocumulus clouds.
Issued for Rio Blanco, Garfield, Mesa, Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, Grand, Eagle, Summit, and southern parts of Routt and Jackson Counties Issued at 8:07 AM MDT, Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Affected Area: Rio Blanco, Garfield, Mesa, Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, Grand, Eagle, Summit, and southern parts of Routt and Jackson Counties. Locations include, but are not limited to Meeker, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, Nucla, Granby, Hot Sulphur Springs, Kremmling, Eagle, Vail and Breckenridge.
Advisory in Effect: 9:00 AM MDT, Wednesday, August 13, 2025 to 9:00 AM MDT, Thursday, August 14, 2025
Public Health Recommendations: If smoke is thick or becomes thick in yourneighborhood you may want to remain indoors. This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and older adults. Consider limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present. Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill. If visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy.
Outlook: Widespread moderate to heavy smoke has been observed across the advisory area Wednesday morning. Additional heavy smoke is possible Wednesday afternoon and evening for areas downwind of the wildfires in Rio Blanco County, possibly impacting areas along and north of Interstate 70 within the advisory area.
8.12.25, 9:29 am – Elk and Lee Fire Update – Tuesday, August 12, 2025 Size: Elk Fire: 14,549 acres | Lee Fire: 116,859 acres Total Personnel: 1,234 Containment: Elk Fire: 30% | Lee Fire 6% Cause: Lightning Resources: 10 Aircraft | 29 Hand Crews | 63 Engines | 10 Heavy Equipment
Important Notes: The recording for the public meeting held in Rifle last night will be posted this morning on the Elk and Lee Fire Facebook page. Comments will be monitored and addressed throughout the day, so be sure to post your questions there. As containment increases on the Elk Fire, crews will relocate to reinforce firefighting efforts on the southern area of the Lee Fire. This will increase the presence of firefighters in the community of Rifle.
Important Notes: The recording for the public meeting held in Rifle last night will be posted this morning on the Elk and Lee Fire Facebook page. Comments will be monitored and addressed throughout the day, so be sure to post your questions there. As containment increases on the Elk Fire, crews will relocate to reinforce firefighting efforts on the southern area of the Lee Fire. This will increase the presence of firefighters in the community of Rifle.
Yesterday: Lee Fire – Firefighters continued reinforcing containment lines on the north side of the fire and along Highway 13. They also continued securing lines around structures and other values at risk. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) flights were used overnight to identify heat along the Hogback Ridge. In the southern area of the fire, crews continued strategic firing operations to reduce fire threats to CR 5 and CR 3. Air tankers and helicopters assisted these efforts, focusing on slowing fire spread and supporting operations. Resources continue to be assigned to help support firefighting efforts around the Lee Fire.
Elk Fire: Firefighters made progress securing fireline along County Road 8 on the south and in the Beaver Creek drainage on the east. Crews continued to mop-up and patrol to eliminate hotspots and reinforce containment lines. The fire will continue to burn inside the fire perimeter as it reaches pockets of unburned fuels. Firefighters working on structure protection continued to patrol and mop-up any hotspots to reinforce containment around structures and other values at risk.
Current Situation: Lee Fire – Minimal fire behavior is expected in the northern portions of the fire. The southern end remains the most active, with continued extreme fire behavior and high potential for fire spread. Firefighters will continue improving containment lines south of County Road 5 (Piceance Creek Road) and protecting values at risk in the area. Crews will also continue to monitor and improve containment lines west of Highway 13. Firefighters are working on building indirect lines east of the Hogback Ridge to keep the fire from moving further east in the event it was to get established east of Hwy 13. Use of air operations will continue as weather allows.
Elk Fire: Crews will continue reinforcing containment lines off County Road 8 and in the Beaver Creek area as they patrol and mop up any hotspots. Direct work will continue working south of the Beaver Creek drainage to fully secure fire in that area. An increase in containment on the Elk Fire is anticipated over the next two operational periods, with structure protection remaining in place.
Weather & Fire Behavior: Warm and dry conditions will continue today. Temperatures will range in the mid to upper 80’s as the relative humidity’s will range from 7-12 percent. Winds will generally be from the north and anticipated lighter than they have been over the past few days. Moderate smoke impacts are possible in Rifle
