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Posted on 08/10/2025 2:42:46 PM PDT by george76
Two fires burning near Meeker combined have scorched more than 120,000 acres in a week as hundreds of crews battle the flames
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Crews working two wildfires burning near Meeker in northwestern Colorado have started to gain some level of containment on the week-old blazes as one topped 100,000 acres.
The Lee fire, which was started by lightning Aug. 2 southwest of Meeker, has grown to 106,672 acres but is considered 6% contained, officials said in a written update Sunday morning. That’s up from 88,755 reported Saturday morning.
Strong winds out of the north continue to push the southern end of the fire, which is “well staffed and prepared for more extreme fire behavior moving south,” the statement said. Their objective is to keep the fire west of Colorado 13 and north of Rio Blanco County Road 5, but “under current conditions, this will prove to be a challenge to firefighters.”
Weather conditions for Sunday are forecast to be more of the same with low humidity, gusty winds from the north and northeast, and little cloud cover.
The Lee fire ranks as the sixth largest wildfire in state history by size, just behind the Spring Creek fire, which burned 108,045 acres west of La Veta in southern Colorado in 2018.
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The nearby Elk fire also started during the same Aug. 2 lightning storm, and has burned 14,635 acres. It is considered 9% contained, and officials said Sunday morning crews are strengthening firelines and fire activity there has slowed.
Working those fires currently are a combined 14 aircraft, 23 hand crews and 51 engines, officials said Sunday, with more than 1,000 firefighters. No structures have been reported lost in the Lee fire; two houses and one outbuilding were destroyed in the first days of the Elk fire.
Evacuation notices are being updated by the Rio Blanco County and Garfield County sheriff’s offices.
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The National Guard has been brought in to help with the fire operations.
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Colorado Ping ( Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)
106,000 acres is a monster.
Seems like the Meeker area is mostly brush.
Seems there have been more fires this year usual. Not good. Been hot for quite a while.
The Elk Fire, a separate but nearby blaze also ignited by lightning on August 2, is burning at 14,635 acres and is 9% contained.
As of August 10, the combined area burned by the Lee and Elk fires exceeds 121,307 acres.
https://www.newsweek.com/colorado-wildfire-scorches-over-100000-acres-2111454
Seems like the Meeker area is mostly brush.
Was. But the fire has traveled south and east towards Rifle and the I70 corridor where all of the smoke has gathered near the river for miles.
Future home of “affordable housing”? /sarc
Colorado record is the Heyman fire, near Deckers. 138,000 acres. June 8 to June 28, 2002. It was caused by a human.
If this goes into the Flat Tops Wilderness, full of fuel, look out Garfield County, Rifle and ..
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