Colorado is currently battling one of its largest wildfires on record, with the Lee Fire continuing to grow in size. The blaze, which spans 106,672 acres or 167 square miles, is now the sixth-largest wildfire in the state’s history. Located south of Meeker, the fire is moving south towards Garfield County, prompting officials to prepare for additional evacuations in Garfield and Rio Blanco counties.
Despite the fire’s rapid expansion, crews have managed to achieve 6% containment, as reported by the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 3. Fortunately, there have been no injuries or structural damage reported thus far.
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in Rio Blanco and Garfield counties, affecting areas along the Colorado 13 corridor, parts of Rio Blanco County east of Willow Creek and south of Piceance Creek, and gulches west of Colorado 13.
The Colorado Department of Corrections took precautionary measures by evacuating nearly 180 incarcerated individuals from the Rifle Correctional Center to the Buena Vista Correctional Complex. Over 1,000 personnel are currently working to contain the fires and prevent them from spreading further.
With unfavorable weather conditions exacerbating the situation, the area around Rifle and Interstate 70 is expected to experience smoke from the fire, which was ignited by lightning. Nearby Elk Fire, although smaller in size, is also being monitored and is currently at 9% containment.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued air quality warnings for 10 counties affected by the fires, advising residents to limit outdoor activities when smoke is present. Individuals with heart or respiratory conditions, as well as children and the elderly, are urged to take extra precautions.
For more information and real-time updates on the wildfires, you can visit the Denver Post wildfire tracker.
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