The FDNY Incident Management Team sincerely thanks the Meeker community, as well as the firefighters, contractors, and partner agencies who worked tirelessly on the Lee Fire. Thanks to their dedication and resilience, the fire is now 99% contained.
It has been an honor to serve alongside you during this time. The progress made is a direct reflection of the hard work of so many people coming together in a time of need. We leave grateful for the welcome we received and for the opportunity to stand with this community.
Ryan Sharpe, Operations Sections Chief, discusses firefighting tactics on the #DerbyFire. Firefighters are taking advantage of current weather conditions ahead of a warming and drying weather trend that begins today, Sunday, August 31.
A spike camp has been set up on the east side of the fire. A spike camp is a temporary satellite camp located closer to the fireline – crews will sleep overnight in this location to reduce their travel time to reach the fireline and increase their daily work time. These firefighters are constructing fireline along the eastern edge of the fire moving south.
Crews will be flown in to construct fireline on the west side of the fire today, along with a Rapid Extraction Module Support (REMS) team who can provide highly-skilled medical care in the event of an emergency.
On the south side of the fire, from Sugarloaf Lake moving south, crews continue to improve the fireline. Mop-up and patrol continues along the southern fireline. On the southeast side of the fire, firefighters are constructing line moving north along the eastern fire edge – they will eventually meet up with the firefighters working their way south along the eastern fire edge.
The structure protection firefighters are beginning to backhaul equipment and supplies that are no longer needed in the Sweetwater area due to reduced fire behavior. Initial attack resources have been indentified to respond to any new fire starts within the Temporary Flight Restriction area (TFR) of the #DerbyFire.
Fire Information: 970-355-3283 Size: 5,749 acres Total Personnel: 699 Containment: 6% Cause: Lightning Resources: 4 Aircraft | 14 Hand Crews | 36 Engines | 17 Heavy Equipment
Current Situation: Firefighters are working directly along the fire’s edge to take advantage of moderated fire activity ahead of an upcoming warming trend. Crews advanced handline construction on the southwest corner of the fire Saturday. To have them closer to their work area, a hotshot crew will be flown into the area Sunday with a REMS (Rapid Extraction Module Support team). This is a specialized team that can provide a high-level of medical care and rapid extraction if needed. An Unmanned Aerial System will help support firefighters by scouting for heat in the area and to alert them of safety hazards.
Crews continue to construct indirect handline on the eastern perimeter of the fire, moving north. They are evaluating hand line construction options closer to the fire’s edge, as well as looking for potential helicopter medivac spots to support the ability to work in the steep terrain. This area has a higher concentration of mixed conifer and subalpine fir trees. Heat remains in the dead and downed timber. Fire weakened trees in this area can pose a threat to firefighter safety. Falling snags are a common hazard on the fireline.
The structure protection crews are monitoring fire defenses along Sweetwater, Sheep Creek, and Red Dirt Creek roads. Firefighters are beginning to remove hose lays, pumps and sprinklers around structures in Sweetwater Valley closer to the Colorado River corridor where the fire threat has lessened. Initial attack resources have been identified among the structure protection crew to respond to assist local resources with any new fire starts that occur within the Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) area of the Derby Fire.
Weather & Fire Behavior: Sunday will be the beginning of a warmer and dryer trend in the area. There is also a limited chance of precipitation with slight winds. Humidity will dip into the 20% range, which can result in grass, pine needles, twigs, and other light fuels to lose moisture and increase fire activity. Expect more smoldering and creeping of the fire due to the drier, warmer weather.
Evacuations and Closures: Fire restrictions and closures remain in place for lands within the Bureau of Land Management – Colorado River Valley Field Office areas and White River National Forest. Find out more at their websites: https://www.blm.gov/ucr-fire-restrictions. See Critical and Fire Restriction Forest Alerts at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/whiteriver/alerts/ .
The Colorado River, Sweetwater, and Red Dirt Creek roads have all been reopened, and the Garfield County and Eagle County Sheriff’s Offices have changed the evacuation status for Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek and Red Dirt Creek areas to pre-evacuation (READY) status: https://arcg.is/S0u4G and www.ecemergency.org.
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the Derby Fire. All unauthorized aircraft (including drones) are prohibited from flying near the fire, as they can interfere with authorized air support operations. For more information, visit https://tfr.faa.gov.
Derby Fire Information Public Phone Line: (970) 355-3283 Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Situación Actual: Los bomberos trabajan directamente en el borde del incendio para aprovechar la actividad moderada del mismo ante la inminente tendencia al calentamiento. El sábado, los equipos avanzaron en la construcción de la línea de control manual en el extremo suroeste del incendio. Para acercarlos a su área de trabajo, el domingo se trasladará por helicóptero una cuadrilla de “hot shots” (bomberos forestales altamente capacitados y especializados) con un equipo médico de extracción rápida de emergencia (REMS, por sus siglas en inglés). Este equipo especializado puede brindar atención médica de alta calidad y una extracción rápida en caso necesario. Un Sistema Aéreo No Tripulado (UAS por sus siglas en inglés, o dron) apoyará a los bomberos, detectando el calor en la zona y alertándolos sobre riesgos de seguridad.
Los equipos continúan construyendo una línea de mano indirecta en el perímetro este del incendio, avanzando hacia el norte. Están evaluando opciones de construcción de líneas de mano más cerca del borde del incendio, así como buscando posibles puntos de evacuación médica para helicópteros para apoyar el trabajo en el terreno escarpado. Esta zona presenta una mayor concentración de coníferas mixtas y abetos subalpinos. El calor permanece en los árboles muertos y caídos. Los árboles debilitados por el fuego en esta zona pueden representar una amenaza para la seguridad de los bomberos. La caída de árboles muertos es un peligro común en la línea de fuego.
Los equipos de protección de estructuras están monitoreando las defensas contra incendios a lo largo de los caminos de Sweetwater, Sheep Creek y Red Dirt Creek. Los bomberos están comenzando a retirar los tendidos de mangueras, bombas y rociadores alrededor de las estructuras en Sweetwater Valley, más cerca del corredor del Colorado River, donde la amenaza de incendio ha disminuido. Se han identificado recursos de ataque inicial entre el equipo de protección de estructuras para responder y apoyar a los recursos locales ante cualquier nuevo incendio que se produzca dentro del área de Restricción Temporal de Vuelo (TFR por sus siglas in inglés) del incendio Derby.
Clima y el comportamiento del fuego: El domingo comenzará un clima más cálido y seco en la zona. También hay una probabilidad limitada de precipitaciones con vientos suaves. La humedad bajará al 20%, lo que puede provocar que la hierba, las agujas de pino, las ramas y otros combustibles ligeros pierdan humedad y aumenten la actividad del incendio. Se espera que el fuego se propague lentamente debido al clima más seco y cálido.
Evacuaciones y cierres: Las restricciones y cierres por incendios se permanecen vigentes en los terrenos bajo la administración de la Oficina de Administración de Tierras del Valle del Río Colorado y el Bosque Nacional White River. Para más información, visite su sitio web: https://www.blm.gov/ucr-fire-restrictions. Consulte las alertas forestales críticas y de restricciones por incendios en https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/whiteriver/alerts/.
Se han reabierto los caminos Colorado River Road, Sweetwater Road y Red Dirt Creek. Los condados Eagle y Garfield han cambiado el estado de evacuación para los residentes de Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek, y Red Dirt Creek a “LISTOS”, la etapa 1 del proceso de evacuaciones que significa que “esté preparados”: https://arcg.is/S0u4G o https://sites.google.com/eaglecounty.us/ecemergencyespanol/inicio.
Se ha establecido una Restricción Temporal de Vuelo (TFR) sobre el incendio Derby. Se prohíbe a todas las aeronaves no autorizadas (incluidos los drones) volar cerca del incendio, ya que pueden interferir con las operaciones de apoyo aéreo autorizadas. Para más información, visite https://tfr.faa.gov.
Información sobre el Incendio Derby Teléfono: 970-355-3283 (de 8:00 a. m. a 8:00 p. m.) Correo electrónico: 2025.Derby@firenet.gov
Total acreages: 5,749 acres 6% containment 699 personnel
Building fireline takes all kinds of kinds. On the southeast side of the fire, crews continue to strengthen the fireline and gradually move north along the eastern side. Multiple handcrews and a variety of heavy equipment are working together to advance the fireline.
Taskforce leaders and heavy equipment bosses help coordinate this work. Medical personnel accompany firefighters to keep everyone safe. A field observer follows the progress of the fireline and collects information on the fuels, fire behavior, and on-site weather. #DerbyFire#FireYear2025
Photo: A dozer creates fireline by scraping away plants on the surface of the ground. Where fire creeps along the forest floor, this bare soil creates a barrier that the fire can’t move across without any flammable material to burn. S.Rawding/Derby Fire.
Location: 11 miles south of Meeker, Colorado Start Date: 08/02/2025 Cause: Lightning Size: Lee Fire: 137,758 acres Containment: Lee Fire: 95% 179 Total Personnel; 2 Hand Crews; 2 Dozers
KEY MESSAGE This is the final daily update from the FDNY Incident Management Team. On Monday morning at 0600, command of the fire will transition back to local agencies.
Over the past week, our team has been honored to serve alongside local, state, and federal partners in support of the Lee Fire. We are grateful for the cooperation, resilience, and support shown by the community and those working on the ground. As we prepare to return home, we do so with confidence in both the progress made and the agencies continuing this important work.
CURRENT STATUS Crews have now expanded suppression repair into additional areas of the fire, focusing on debris removal and restoration work. These projects are being completed in close coordination with Resource Advisors to ensure agency standards are met and to lay the groundwork for long-term recovery of the landscape.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR Clear skies and warming temperatures are expected today, accompanied by lower humidity. While the overall forecast points to mild and favorable conditions, there remains a chance for an isolated shower or thunderstorm this afternoon. Any storm activity could bring gusty winds up to 25 mph, which may briefly impact ongoing suppression repair. Looking ahead, the return to drier weather will allow crews to continue making steady progress across the fire area.
OPERATIONAL BRIEFING – AUGUST 30, 2025
August 30, 2025, Operational Briefing with Operations Section Vic Fernandez
CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES For accurate up-to-date information on evacuations and road closures for Rio Blanco County, go to the Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/RioBlancoCountySheriffsOffice.
Fire Information: 970-355-3283 Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Size: 5,738 acres Total Personnel: 667 Containment: 6% Cause: Lightning Resources: 4 Aircraft | 16 Hand Crews | 36 Engines | 17 Heavy Equipment
Current Situation: Containment increased slightly on the south, west of East Fork Sheep Road. This is where interior heat has decreased, and wind and weather conditions are unlikely to push the fire over the control line. Firefighters continue to patrol, mop up, and extinguish hotspots along the southern control line. Hotshot crews continue to construct fireline along the fire edge on the western side as they progress to the north. Handline construction is progressing on the east side of the fire, extending northward from an existing dozer line. Air resources are evaluating proposed medical evacuation helispots as the firefighters move into more rugged, remote terrain. An Unmanned Aircraft System is also available to help assess fuels, fire behavior and areas of heat using an infrared camera. Structure protection crews are actively monitoring and maintaining defenses around more than 500 structures along Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek, and Red Dirt Creek Road.
Weather & Fire Behavior: Recent rainfall has kept relative humidity levels high, helping to minimize fire behavior. Saturday will see slowly clearing skies and sunshine with a slight possibility of rain at higher elevation. A gradual warming and drying trend are expected to begin on Sunday. Relative humidities will start to drop a little each day, however, a few days of drying will be needed before any significant increase in fire activity is likely. Interior heat pockets may continue to produce smoke where dead and downed trees are still smoldering. Fire may slowly creep along the ground in areas where mixed conifer, subalpine fir and lodgepole pine trees transition into aspen stands.
Evacuations and Closures: Fire restrictions and closures remain in place for lands within the Bureau of Land Management – Colorado River Valley Field Office areas and White River National Forest. Find out more at their websites: https://www.blm.gov/ucr-fire-restrictions. See Critical and Fire Restriction Forest Alerts at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/whiteriver/alerts/
The Colorado River, Sweetwater, and Red Dirt Creek roads have all been reopened, and the Garfield County and Eagle County Sheriff’s Offices have changed the evacuation status for Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek and Red Dirt Creek areas to pre-evacuation (READY) status: https://arcg.is/S0u4G and www.ecemergency.org.
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the Derby Fire. All unauthorized aircraft (including drones) are prohibited from flying near the fire, as they can interfere with authorized air support operations. For more information, visit https://tfr.faa.gov.
Derby Fire Information Public Phone Line: (970) 355-3283 Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Actualización Diaria para el Incendio Derby –el 30 de agosto de 2025 Equipo 3 del Manejo de Incidentes Complejos del Área de las Montañas Rocosas Comandantes del Incidente: Casey Cheesbrough, Jay Miller, Ben Sanders Información del incendio: 970-355-3283
Situación Actual: La contención aumentó ligeramente al sur, al oeste de East Fork Sheep Road. Aquí es donde el calor interior ha disminuido, y es improbable que las condiciones de viento y clima impulsen el incendio más allá de la línea de control. Los bomberos continúan patrullando, haciendo liquidación y extinguiendo los puntos calientes a lo largo de la línea de control sur. Los equipos de bomberos continúan construyendo una línea de fuego a lo largo del borde del incendio en el lado oeste a medida que avanzan hacia el norte. La construcción de la línea de fuego manual avanza en el lado este del incendio, extendiéndose hacia el norte desde una línea de bulldozer existente. Los recursos aéreos están evaluando los helipuertos propuestos de evacuación médica a medida que los bomberos se adentran en terrenos más accidentados y remotos. Un Sistema de Aviación No Tripulada (dron) también está disponible para ayudar a evaluar los combustibles, el comportamiento del incendio y las áreas de calor mediante una cámara infrarroja. Los equipos de protección de estructuras están monitoreando y manteniendo activamente las defensas alrededor de más de 500 estructuras a lo largo de Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek y Red Dirt Creek Road.
Clima y el comportamiento del fuego: Las lluvias recientes han mantenido altos los niveles de humedad relativa, lo que ha ayudado a minimizar el riesgo de incendio. El sábado se despejará lentamente el cielo y habrá sol, con una ligera probabilidad de lluvia en zonas de mayor altitud. Se espera que el domingo comience una tendencia gradual de calentamiento y sequía. La humedad relativa comenzará a descender ligeramente cada día; sin embargo, se necesitarán algunos días de sequía antes de que sea probable un aumento significativo de la actividad del incendio. Es posible que las bolsas de calor interiores sigan produciendo humo donde los árboles muertos y caídos aún arden lentamente. El fuego podría extenderse lentamente por el suelo en zonas donde las coníferas mixtas, los abetos subalpinos y los pinos contortos se transforman en álamos.
Evacuaciones y cierres: Las restricciones y cierres por incendios se permanecen vigentes en los terrenos bajo la administración de la Oficina de Administración de Tierras del Valle del Río Colorado y el Bosque Nacional White River. Para más información, visite su sitio web: https://www.blm.gov/ucr-fire-restrictions. Consulte las alertas forestales críticas y de restricciones por incendios en https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/whiteriver/alerts/.
Se han reabierto los caminos Colorado River Road, Sweetwater Road y Red Dirt Creek. Los condados Eagle y Garfield han cambiado el estado de evacuación para los residentes de Sweetwater Valley, Sheep Creek, y Red Dirt Creek a “LISTOS”, la etapa 1 del proceso de evacuaciones que significa que “esté preparados”: https://arcg.is/S0u4Go https://sites.google.com/eaglecounty.us/ecemergencyespanol/inicio.
Se ha establecido una Restricción Temporal de Vuelo (TFR) sobre el incendio Derby. Se prohíbe a todas las aeronaves no autorizadas (incluidos los drones) volar cerca del incendio, ya que pueden interferir con las operaciones de apoyo aéreo autorizadas. Para más información, visite https://tfr.faa.gov.
Información sobre el Incendio Derby Teléfono: 970-355-3283 (de 8:00 a. m. a 8:00 p. m.) Correo electrónico: 2025.Derby@firenet.gov
#DerbyFire Ryan Sharpe, Operations Sections Chief, discusses firefighting tactics on the #DerbyFire.
Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 3 took command of the Derby Fire from Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 3 this Saturday morning, August 30th at 6AM. While higher relative humidity values continue to moderate fire activity today, firefighters are building control line as directly as possible along the fire edge. Hotshot crews are advancing handline along the southwestern side of the fire, beginning to turn the corner to move up to the western edge. Patrolling and mop-up continue on the southern edge. Crews are strengthening and widening handline, moving south from the Sugarloaf Lake area toward the cold fire edge on the southeastern side. Handline construction continues on the east side of the fire, moving north.
Location: 11 miles south of Meeker, Colorado Start Date: 08/02/2025 Cause: Lightning Size: Lee Fire: 137,758 acres Containment: Lee Fire: 95% 195 Total Personnel; 8 Engines; 2 Hand Crews; 2 Water Tenders; 2 Dozers
KEY MESSAGE
Containment of the Lee Fire has increased to 95 percent. The addition of black line on the map reflects steady progress by firefighters patrolling the perimeter and completing suppression repair. Crews continue to strengthen lines and ensure the fire remains within its current footprint as work moves toward full containment.
CURRENT STATUS
Suppression repair is progressing across multiple areas, with crews conducting debris removal and other restoration work in coordination with Resource Advisors. These efforts are being carried out to agency standards and are designed to support long-term recovery.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Scattered rain showers are expected to continue into Saturday morning. While an isolated light shower or thunderstorm is possible in the afternoon, conditions will trend warmer and drier through the weekend. Temperatures are forecast to return to the 80s. Winds will generally be from the east at 5 mph, with gusts up to 17 mph possible near thunderstorms.
Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 3
Incident Commanders Casey Cheesbrough, Jay Miller, Ben Sanders
Derby Fire Quick Facts: August 30, 2025 Location: 13 miles north of Dotsero, CO Start Date: 8/16/2025 Cause: Lightning Size: Est. 5,738 acres Completion/Containment: 6% Total personnel 667
Hand crews, such as the one pictured, serve as the “boots on the ground” in wildfire suppression. They are able to access difficult terrain where machinery may not and may hike long distances to reach the fireline. These crews are generally made up of a sawyer or “bucker,” who builds hand line by cutting trees to clear the path ahead. The bucker is followed by the “swamper” who removes the cut debris from the path. Following them comes a line of multiple diggers, swiping with a hand tool, continuing to advance down the line. Working together, they gradually clear vegetation to mineral soil, which the fire is unable to creep across.
These hand crews carry line gear that weighs about 35-40 pounds. It contains protective equipment, tools, water, snacks, a sack lunch and a Meal Ready to Eat (MRE), if needed. All of this is to keep them fueled and prepared for the immense and difficult work that they do every day.
Photo: The Mimbres 1 Type 2 Crew, based in Socorro, New Mexico, pose with the tools they use to build control line, including a chainsaw and specialized hoes. The backpack straps they’re wearing secure their line gear as they work. This crew had been working to build and improve control line on the southeast side of the fire. They demobilized Saturday and will return to their base to rest and refurbish their tools and equipment before their next assignment. – S.Rawding/Derby Fire.
