The Lee Fire is burning more 116,000 acres and is now considered the fifth largest fire in Colorado history. The fire was started by lightning on Aug. 2 and after doubling in size over the weekend fire crews have been able to make progress toward containment. Hundreds of firefighters are working fires in the Western Slope.
Now at seven percent containment, the Lee Fire has been able to burn due to high winds and extremely dry conditions in Rio Blanco County. The fire had burned 45,000 acres on Aug. 7, but conditions prompted a mobilization of the Colorado National Guard.
There will be a public meeting Monday at 7 p.m. at the Colorado Mountain College auditorium, located at 3695 Airport Road in Rifle. The public will have opportunities to ask questions with fire managers and agency representatives during a breakout session after the meeting. The meeting will be recorded and posted to the Elk and Lee Fires Information Facebook Page.
Overnight into Friday, the fire grew to 60,000 acres and fire officials warned of intense Red Flag conditions and heat that would peak Saturday. The fire grew to more than 88,000 acres by Saturday and to 106,000 acres by Sunday morning.
According to the most recent update from fire officials, “extreme fire behavior” is expected to continue on Monday.
“Critical dry fuels with the expected weather could result in extreme fire behavior in some areas of the Lee Fire,” fire officials said.
An interactive evacuation map of the area can be found here. Large parts of the area surrounding the town of Meeker is under evacuation, while the town itself is in the ready phase of pre-evacuation, meaning it is time to prepare for the event of an evacuation.
In response to the fire, the Colorado Department of Corrections evacuated all 179 people currently incarcerated at the Rifle Correctional Facility. They were taken to the Buena Vista Correctional Complex.
“This proactive measure was taken out of an abundance of caution to ensure the safety of all individuals involved,” CDOC officials said in a press release.
Over the weekend, the Colorado Sun reported that the Lee Fire produced a pyrocumulus cloud that reached heights of more than 30,000 feet, creating its own problematic weather system that increased the fire’s behavior on the ground.
The Elk Fire burning 14,000 acres to the east of the Lee Fire is now 30 percent contained. On Sunday, firefighters were able to take advantage of favorable conditions and construct firelines along the fire’s western perimeter. They were then able to clear up hotspots along the east and south sides of the fire.
The Lee Fire has surpassed the Spring Creek fire from 2018 that burned 108,045 acres in Costilla and Huerfano Counties.
The three largest largest fires in Colorado history happened in 2020: The Cameron Peak Fire burned 208,913 acres in Larimer County from alleged arson; East Troublesome Fire burned 193,812 acres in Grand and Larimer Counties from an unknown, but suspected human-source; and the Pine Gulch Fire burned 139,007 acres in Mesa and Garfield Counties from a lightning strike.
The Hayman Fire from 2002 burned 137,760 acres and was caused by arson.
Colorado’s 20 largest wildfires have occurred after 2001.