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Garfield County | Accessibility
Operational Briefing with IC Mike Burke and Operations Section Mike Izzo
Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office
BLM Colorado Fire
Bureau of Land Management Fire
Bureau of Land Management – Colorado
Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control
U.S. Forest Service – White River National Forest
Garfield County Sheriff’s Office – Colorado
Location:Â 11 miles south of Meeker, Colorado
Start Date:Â 08/02/2025
Cause:Â Lightning Size:Â Lee Fire: 137,758 acres
Containment:Â Lee Fire: 90%
266 Total Personnel; 1 Helicopter; 9 Engines; 3 Hand Crews; 2 Water Tenders; 2 Dozers
KEY MESSAGE
Today at 0600, the FDNY Incident Management Team assumed command of the Lee fire. We extend our appreciation to the Northern Rockies IMT for their dedicated efforts and smooth transition. On the southwest flank, crews will continue patrolling and working to secure the fire’s perimeter. Suppression repair and debris removal will be ongoing across all divisions, conducted in coordination with resource advisors.
CURRENT STATUS
Yesterday, fire activity remained minimal, with only isolated creeping and smoldering observed within the perimeter. Crews concentrated on securing constructed line, conducting patrol and mop-up along existing containment, and advancing suppression repair in coordination with Resource Advisors. Continued rainfall is expected to elevate the risk of flash flooding and debris flows within burned and surrounding areas.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop again today, with skies clearing during the late morning before storms build in the afternoon. Daytime heating will drive thunderstorm development, with cumulus buildups after 11:00 signaling activity. A wet pattern will continue through the week, with a 90–100% chance of daily rainfall through Thursday. Storms may bring periods of heavy rain, frequent lightning, gusty outflow winds, and small hail.
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. For Garfield County updates go
to: https://www.garfieldcounty.net/. USFS White River National Forest and BLM closure rescission information is available at: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-closures/cowrd-lee-fire