National Weather Service issues heat advisory for the central Colorado River Basin

The National Weather Service in Grand Junction, CO, has issued a heat advisory for the Central Colorado, Central Gunnison, and Uncompahgre river basins. This includes the cities of Edwards, Eagle, Gypsum, Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Basalt, Montrose, Olathe, Delta, Hotchkiss, and Paonia.

The heat advisory remains in effect from noon on Saturday, July 11, to midnight on Monday, July 13.

  • What: prolonged hot conditions with temperatures in the 97 to 102 range this weekend through early next week.
  • Where: central Colorado River Basin and central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin.
  • When: from noon Saturday to midnight MDT on Monday night.
  • Impacts: heat-related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat events.
  • Additional details: near record temperatures will be possible during the event, especially on Sunday.

Precautionary/preparedness actions

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.

To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.

National Weather Service issues heat advisory for the central Colorado River Basin

GCSO: Snyder Fire Firefighters Benefit Account

Garfield County Sheriff’s Office

In times of tragedy, Colorado communities come together.

Alpine Bank has established the Snyder Fire Firefighter Families Benefit Account to support the families of the five firefighters impacted by the Snyder Fire. Alpine Bank is contributing an initial $25,000, and community members, businesses and organizations are invited to join us in supporting these families during this incredibly difficult time.

Donations can be made online, by phone or in person at any Alpine Bank branch through August 31. Simply reference the “Snyder Fire Firefighter Families Benefit Account.”

Learn more or find donation information at alpinebank.com/snyderfire. 

GCSO: Snyder Fire Firefighters Benefit Account

CDPHE: Air quality health advisory for wildfire smoke

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Avisos en Español para todo el Estado (Colorado)

Moffat, Routt, Jackson, Grand, Rio Blanco, Garfield, Eagle, Summit, Gilpin, Clear Creek, Mesa, Pitkin, Lake, Park, Delta, Gunnison, Chaffee, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel, Dolores, and northern parts of Montezuma and Saguache counties. Issued at 8:22 a.m. MDT, Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Affected area: Moffat, Routt, Jackson, Grand, Rio Blanco, Garfield, Eagle, Summit, Gilpin, Clear Creek, Mesa, Pitkin, Lake, Park, Delta, Gunnison, Chaffee, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel, Dolores, and northern parts of Montezuma and Saguache counties. Locations include, but are not limited to Craig, Steamboat Springs, Walden, Granby, Hot Sulphur Springs, Kremmling, Meeker, Rangely, Glenwood Springs, Eagle, Vail, Breckenridge, Central City, Georgetown, Grand Junction, Aspen, Leadville, Fairplay, Delta, Gunnison, Buena Vista, Salida, Montrose, Nucla, Ouray, Telluride, Dove Creek, and Saguache.

Advisory in effect: 9 a.m. MDT, Wednesday, July 1, 2026 to 9 a.m. MDT, Thursday, July 2, 2026.

Public health recommendations: If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood 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: Areas downwind of large fires in southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah could have periods of moderate to heavy smoke through at least Thursday morning.

For the latest Colorado statewide air quality conditions, forecasts, and advisories, visit: https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colorado_summary.aspx

For the latest Smoke Blog, visit: https://colosmokeoutlook.blogspot.com/

For more information about smoke and your health, visit: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/outdoor-burning/wildfire-smoke-and-health

CDPHE: Air quality health advisory for wildfire smoke

CORRECTION: CRFR: morning update on Dry Creek Fire

Correction: The previous message had the wrong name in the headline for the fire.

Colorado River Fire Rescue

June 25, 2026, 9:11 a.m. – Thanks to firefighters’ efforts yesterday, the fire remains at 316 acres.

Overnight moisture provides favorable conditions for firefighter suppression efforts. Today, crews will focus on securing the fire perimeter and extinguishing hot spots on the interior area of the fire perimeter. Smoke dispersal forecasts improved smoke dispersal this afternoon.

Resources assigned include three Type 2 hand crews, one suppression module, 11 fire engines, two water tenders, and one aircraft available if needed.

For the latest evacuation information, visit Garfield County’s evacuation map: https://bit.ly/drycreekfire. Firefighters remain active throughout the incident area, and increased fire apparatus traffic is expected. Please avoid the area if possible.

Burn area of the Dry Creek Fire.

Smoke column from the Dry Creek Fire,

Team morning briefing for the Dry Creek Fire.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire by natural gas facilities.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire by natural gas facilities.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire.

Burn area of the Dry Creek Fire.

Burn area of the Dry Creek Fire.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire by natural gas facilities.

Burn area of Dry Creek Fire.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire by natural gas facilities.

Information channels

Garfield County Sheriff’s Office
FACEBOOK – Garfield County Sheriff’s Office #facebook.com/GarcoSheriff
Garfield County Emergency Management
INCIDENT UPDATES/SUBSCRIBE – garfieldcounty.net
Garfield County Emergency Communications Authority
REGISTER FOR ALERTS – garco911.com and Reachwell mobile app

Colorado River Fire Rescue
CRFR website | facebook: #ColoradoRiverFireRescue

CORRECTION: CRFR: morning update on Dry Creek Fire

CRFR: morning update on Dry Creek Fire

Colorado River Fire Rescue

June 25, 2026, 9:11 a.m. – Thanks to firefighters’ efforts yesterday, the fire remains at 316 acres.

Overnight moisture provides favorable conditions for firefighter suppression efforts. Today, crews will focus on securing the fire perimeter and extinguishing hot spots on the interior area of the fire perimeter. Smoke dispersal forecasts improved smoke dispersal this afternoon.

Resources assigned include three Type 2 hand crews, one suppression module, 11 fire engines, two water tenders, and one aircraft available if needed.

For the latest evacuation information, visit Garfield County’s evacuation map: https://bit.ly/drycreekfire. Firefighters remain active throughout the incident area, and increased fire apparatus traffic is expected. Please avoid the area if possible.

Burn area of the Dry Creek Fire.

Smoke column from the Dry Creek Fire,

Team morning briefing for the Dry Creek Fire.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire by natural gas facilities.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire by natural gas facilities.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire.

Burn area of the Dry Creek Fire.

Burn area of the Dry Creek Fire.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire by natural gas facilities.

Burn area of Dry Creek Fire.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire by natural gas facilities.

Information channels

Garfield County Sheriff’s Office
FACEBOOK – Garfield County Sheriff’s Office #facebook.com/GarcoSheriff
Garfield County Emergency Management
INCIDENT UPDATES/SUBSCRIBE – garfieldcounty.net
Garfield County Emergency Communications Authority
REGISTER FOR ALERTS – garco911.com and Reachwell mobile app

Colorado River Fire Rescue
CRFR website | facebook: #ColoradoRiverFireRescue

CRFR: morning update on Dry Creek Fire

CDPHE: Air quality health advisory for wildfire smoke

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Avisos en Español para todo el Estado (Colorado)

Issued for Moffat, Routt, Grand, Rio Blanco, Eagle, Summit, Garfield, Pitkin, Mesa, Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, Jackson, Lake, Park, Teller, Chaffee, Custer, Huerfano, Rio Grande, Alamosa, Las Animas, Costilla, Conejos, Saguache and Fremont counties. Issued at 8:12 a.m. MDT, Thursday, June 25, 2026

Issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

Affected area: Moffat, Routt, Grand, Rio Blanco, Eagle, Summit, Garfield, Pitkin, Mesa, Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, Jackson, Lake, Park, Teller, Chaffee, Custer, Huerfano, Rio Grande, Alamosa, Las Animas, Costilla, Conejos, Saguache and Fremont counties. Locations include, but are not limited to Craig, Steamboat Springs, Granby, Hot Sulphur Springs, Kremmling, Meeker, Rangely, Eagle, Vail, Breckenridge, Glenwood Springs, Aspen, Grand Junction, Delta, Gunnison, Montrose, Nucla, Walden, Leadville, Fairplay, Cripple Creek, Buena Vista, Salida, Westcliffe, Walsenburg, Del Norte, South Fork, Alamosa, Kim, Trinidad, San Luis, Conejos, Saguache and Canon City.

Advisory in effect: 9 a.m. MDT, Thursday, June 25, 2026 to 9 a.m. MDT, Friday, June 26, 2026.

Public health recommendations: If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood 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: Smoke from several fires burning in Utah and Nevada is being transported into Colorado and is expected to impact air quality through at least Thursday morning. Smoke levels could increase or decrease rapidly at times during the advisory period due to the very unstable atmospheric conditions.

For the latest Colorado statewide air quality conditions, forecasts, and advisories, visit: https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colorado_summary.aspx

For the latest Smoke Blog, visit: https://colosmokeoutlook.blogspot.com/

For more information about smoke and your health, visit: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/outdoor-burning/wildfire-smoke-and-health

CDPHE: Air quality health advisory for wildfire smoke

CRFR: Dry Creek Fire update

Colorado River Fire Rescue

Firefighting helicopter drops water on the Dry Creek Fire.

June 24, 2026, 2:57 p.m. – Firefighters have made good progress constructing direct handline and installing hose lays along the western perimeter of the fire. The eastern perimeter is secure, and crews are focused on extinguishing interior hot spots.

Current resources assigned to the incident include three type 2 hand crews, a suppression module, nine fire engines, and two water tenders. Aircraft are in the area and available if needed.

Evacuations are expected to remain in effect as forecasted winds are expected to test established fire lines and electric lines are inspected. Visit https://bit.ly/drycreekfire for Garfield County’s evacuation map for all evacuation updates.

Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit

A helicopter dropping water on the Dry Creek Fire.

Emergency services respond to the Dry Creek Fire.

Aerial view of the Dry Creek Fire burn area.

Aerial view of the Dry Creek Fire burn area.

Colorado River Fire Rescue
CRFR website | facebook: #ColoradoRiverFireRescue

CRFR: Dry Creek Fire update

GCSO: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions begin Friday, June 26

Garfield County Sheriff’s Office

June 23, 2026 – Garfield County, CO, the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands, the U.S. Forest Service in Garfield County, and the seven Fire Districts in Garfield County are implementing Stage 2 Fire Restrictions effective at 1 a.m. Friday June 26, 2026. This applies to all of Garfield County.

This decision was made with thoughtful consideration. We look at the data as well as the potential for significant wildfires and balance it with the impacts to our community. The current active wildfires in Colorado have already stretched our available resources and effected our ability to respond as necessary.

Fire restrictions are implemented based on specific criteria to including moisture content of vegetation, weather outlooks, human risk factors, and firefighting resource availability.

What Stage 2 Fire Restrictions mean in Garfield County

  • A) Use of fireworks – Not permitted
  • B) Burn permits (General) – No burn permits will be issued. All previously issued burn permits are cancelled.
  • C) Recreational fires- No recreational fires
  • D) Cooking fires – Use caution and keep attended. Cooking devices must be clean (including gas cylinder) and in proper working order.
  1. Gas Grills – No permit required.
  2. Charcoal and other solid fuel grills and cookers – No permit required in developed areas only.
  3. In undeveloped areas, a permit from the local fire department may be required.
  • E) Smoking – Open smoking allowed in developed areas.
  1. In undeveloped areas, allowed only in an enclosed vehicle or building.
  • F) Welding and spark-emitting cutting (hot work) – Developed area: Use extreme caution and take preventative measures as necessary.
  1. Undeveloped area: Industrial use only. A permit from the local fire department may be required. Must be in a cleared area at least 10 feet in diameter with a designated lookout. Must have Class A fire extinguishing capabilities readily available.
  • G) Operating of internal combustion engine-powered equipment, such as chainsaws, hand-held tools, or generators without a spark-arresting device is prohibited. If described equipment does have a spark arresting device, you must have Class A fire extinguishing capabilities readily available, and round-point shovel (36? length minimum) shall be readily available for use.
  • H) Other internal combustion engine-powered equipment, such as tractors and mowers: Operate with extreme caution paying special attention in areas subject to extreme conditions that may be susceptible to ignition (dry weeds and grasses, etc.).
  • I) Use of explosives, explosive targets and steel or tracer bullets – not permitted.
  • J) Use of firearms – steel jacket/core bullets (armor piercing) and tracer bullets are expressly prohibited. It is the responsibility of each independent range to ensure safe fire conditions at all times the range is in use. This includes: mitigating fuels that may potentially catch fire; monitoring downrange conditions/impacts; maintaining the ability to access and rapidly extinguish fires; notifying the local fire department immediately in the event of a fire of any size. Keeping a usable fire-extinguishing application method on hand is strongly recommended.
  1. If shooting at an unattended range – including those on public and private property – the responsibility for ensuring safe fire conditions falls on the independent shooter.

By definition:
A “developed area” is an area, whether within city limits or rural, that is groomed, manicured and or watered, where grasses, brush and trees are regularly attended to by landowner. This includes residential and business areas, improved recreational areas, parks and other common areas.

“Undeveloped areas” are lands that are not groomed, manicured, or watered; where grasses, brush and trees have been allowed to grow in a natural environment. This includes green belts that are not landscaped or manicured, open space lands, non-manicured parklands, and other areas where the fire hazard presented by the vegetation is determined by the authority having jurisdiction or designee to be an undue wildland fire hazard.

The mission of the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office is to provide solutions for the people through professional, ethical and compassionate conduct.

GCSO: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions begin Friday, June 26

CRFR: Dry Creek Fire updates

Colorado River Fire Rescue

June 23, 2026, 5:47 p.m. – Please follow garfieldcounty.net for evacuation updates.

All evacuees can go to the Garfield County Fairgrounds in Rifle.

For power outage information, please go to the Xcel Energy outage map.

Acreage has been updated to 287.8 acres.

Pre-evacuation notice

June 23, 2026, 4:26 p.m – Grass Mesa, south of Rodeo Drive and Coyote Trail: due to fire, please prepare for possible evacuation orders issued by Colorado River Fire Rescue. You will receive another message if evacuations are ordered.

Colorado River Fire Rescue
CRFR website | facebook: #ColoradoRiverFireRescue

CRFR: Dry Creek Fire updates

CRFR: Structure/wildfire response south of Rifle – evacuations in progress for Gage Road

Colorado River Fire Rescue

June 23, 2026, 4:34 p.m. – The UCR Type 3 Incident Management Team has been ordered. ICP Location is being established. Additional air resources have been ordered including, two large air tankers, two helicopters, and Air Attack.

June 23, 2026, 4:27 p.m. – The fire has jumped County Road 319. Additional mutual aid resources have been requested by Incident Command.

June 23, 2026, 4 p.m. – Evacuation updates:

  • Grass Mesa Rd. north of Gage Rd.
  • Sunset Lane
  • Gage Rd north of mile marker 1
  • ALL evacuees can go to the Garfield County Fairgrounds in Rifle.
  • Additional air tankers and two IA crews have been ordered.

June 23, 2026, 3:27 p.m. – Crews are responding to a reported structure fire south of Rifle on Gage Road. Additional structures and gas infrastructures are threatened. Air resources, mutual aid, and interagency resources have also been ordered.

Please avoid the area and give emergency responders room to work. Use caution if traveling nearby and watch for emergency vehicles.

More information will be shared as it becomes available.

Colorado River Fire Rescue
CRFR website | facebook: #ColoradoRiverFireRescue

Garfield County Sheriff’s Office

Aerial view of the Dry Creek Fire.

Dry Creek Fire from a gravel road.

June 23, 2026, 3:48 p.m. – Fire in the Grass Mesa area on Gage Road in Rifle. Some neighborhoods are being evacuated. Please stay clear of the area.

CRFR: Structure/wildfire response south of Rifle – evacuations in progress for Gage Road