MEEKER ~ MEEKER - Governor Jared Polis has declared a disaster emergency to aid in the response efforts for the Elk Fire and Lee Fire in Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The Elk Fire, located southeast of Meeker, has been burning since the weekend and has now been joined by the Lee Fire, which was previously contained to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land southwest of Meeker.

The disaster emergency was initially declared on Saturday for the Elk Fire, but was updated yesterday to include the Lee Fire. This designation went into effect at 12:01 AM on August 5. The Lee Fire has since merged with another fire, known as the Grease fire, and is now being referred to as the Lee fire. It has spread to federal, state, and private lands and is growing rapidly.

Due to extreme fire behavior, multiple residents have been displaced and more have been placed on pre-evacuation status. The County Sheriff has stated that local resources have been overwhelmed and has requested that the fire be designated a State Responsibility Fire.

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Both fires are being managed by the same Complex Incident Management Team that is overseeing the Elk Fire. The current weather conditions in northwest Colorado are contributing to elevated fire risk and are expected to continue for at least another week.

With this disaster declaration, the State Emergency Operations and Resource Mobilization Plans have been activated. The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) will coordinate the overall state response through their State Emergency Operations Center. Field operations staff will also be deployed to support county emergency managers.

The Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) is leading the state's efforts in managing these fires and mobilizing resources for suppression efforts with support from other divisions within CDPS.

The situation remains critical as these fires continue to burn through dry conditions. Residents are urged to stay informed about evacuation orders and follow all safety precautions issued by local authorities.

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