Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 3

Operational Briefing Video August 13, 2025 with Operations Section Chief, Jeramy Dietz

Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office
Garfield County Emergency Communications Authority
BLM Colorado Fire
Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control
Garfield County Sheriff’s Office – Colorado
Bureau of Land Management – Colorado
Bureau of Land Management – Colorado
U.S. Forest Service – White River National Forest
Rifle Police Department

Check your zone on this INTERACTIVE EVACUATION MAP (search your address).

The Elk and Lee Fire Information Facebook page

Garfield County: REGISTER FOR ALERTS – garco911.com, INCIDENT UPDATES/SUBSCRIBE – garfieldcounty.net, FACEBOOK – facebook.com/garcosheriff

Community Meeting Tomorrow August 14, 2025 at 7 pm at Colorado Mountain College – 3695 Airport Rd, Rifle, CO

Fire managers will be present to answer questions after the event. It will be recorded and posted on The Elk and Lee Fire Facebook Page

Check your zone on this INTERACTIVE EVACUATION MAP (search your address).

The Elk and Lee Fire Information Facebook page

Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office
BLM Colorado Fire
Bureau of Land Management – Colorado

Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control
U.S. Forest Service – White River National Forest
Bureau of Land Management Fire
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Garfield County: REGISTER FOR ALERTS – garco911.com, INCIDENT UPDATES/SUBSCRIBE – garfieldcounty.net, FACEBOOK – facebook.com/garcosheriff

Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 3

Elk and Lee Fire update document – English
Elk and Lee Fire update document – Spanish

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.

Actualización del incendio de Elk y Lee – Miércoles 13 de agosto de 2025: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/…/actualizacin-del…

Check your zone on this INTERACTIVE EVACUATION MAP (search your address).

The Elk and Lee Fire Information Facebook page

Garfield County: REGISTER FOR ALERTS – garco911.com, INCIDENT UPDATES/SUBSCRIBE – garfieldcounty.net, FACEBOOK – facebook.com/garcosheriff

Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 3

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!

Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office
BLM Colorado Fire
Bureau of Land Management – Colorado
Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control
U.S. Forest Service – White River National Forest
Bureau of Land Management Fire
Garfield County Sheriff’s Office – Colorado
Garfield County Emergency Communications Authority
Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 3

Operational Briefing Video with Operations Section Chief, Jeramy Dietz August 12, 2025

Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office
Garfield County Emergency Communications Authority
BLM Colorado Fire
Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control
Garfield County Sheriff’s Office – Colorado
Bureau of Land Management – Colorado
Bureau of Land Management – Colorado
U.S. Forest Service – White River National Forest
Rifle Police Department

Check your zone on this INTERACTIVE EVACUATION MAP (search your address).

The Elk and Lee Fire Information Facebook page

Garfield County: REGISTER FOR ALERTS – garco911.com, INCIDENT UPDATES/SUBSCRIBE – garfieldcounty.net, FACEBOOK – facebook.com/garcosheriff

Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 3

Elk and Lee Fire update document

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

Evacuations and Closures: CR 5 and Hwy 13 remain closed. 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 Branco County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/RioBlancoCountySheriffsOffice – for accurate up-to-date information on all evacuations and road closures. To 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://www.blm.gov/announcement/blm-colorado-issues-emergency-closure-public-lands-rio-blanco-county.

Elk and Lee Fire Information:
Phone: 970-341-8665
Email: 2025.elkrbx@firenet.gov
Facebook: www.facebook.com/elkleefire
Iniciweb Lee Fire: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cowrd-lee-fire Inciweb Elk Fire: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cowrd-elk-rbx-fire

Check your zone on this INTERACTIVE EVACUATION MAP (search your address).

The Elk and Lee Fire Information Facebook page

Garfield County: REGISTER FOR ALERTS – garco911.com, INCIDENT UPDATES/SUBSCRIBE – garfieldcounty.net, FACEBOOK – facebook.com/garcosheriff

Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 3

Recording of the Community Meeting on August 11, 2025 at Colorado Mountain College at 7 p.m.

Check your zone on this INTERACTIVE EVACUATION MAP (search your address).

The Elk and Lee Fire Information Facebook page

Garfield County: REGISTER FOR ALERTS – garco911.com, INCIDENT UPDATES/SUBSCRIBE – garfieldcounty.net, FACEBOOK – facebook.com/garcosheriff