Updated at 4:16 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025.
Three lightning-sparked wildfires are burning nearly 9,000 acres in Rio Blanco County — and are expected to grow as gusty winds and “critical fire weather conditions” persist, according to the National Weather Service.
On Sunday, Gov. Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency as a result of “near record levels” of fire conditions in northwest Colorado.
The NWS Grand Junction office issued a ‘Red Flag Warning’ for critical fire conditions this morning until Tuesday evening for a huge portion of the Western Slope.
The fires will contribute to poor air quality through Tuesday across the region, including in Meeker, Glenwood Springs, Carbondale and Vail, according to an advisory from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Residents are advised to stay indoors and limit outdoor activity if they see moderate to heavy smoke.
This year-to-date has already seen nearly twice as many wildfires as last year, according to data released Monday by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).
According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, the entire Western Slope is in drought, with 12 counties partially or entirely in extreme drought.
Human-caused climate change is increasing fire risk across the Western United States by creating drier conditions for longer periods. That, in turn, makes grasses and shrubs much more likely to ignite.
Elk fire
The Elk Fire is burning roughly 4,000 acres of shrubby fuels around 11 miles east of Meeker, according to the NIFC and a Monday update from the Rio Blanco County sheriff’s office. The lightning-sparked fire started on Saturday and is primarily burning pinyon, juniper and brush.
The fire has already burned several houses and an outbuilding, while more homes are threatened, according to Rhawnie McGruder, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.
An evacuation order is in effect for County Road 8, between mile markers 11 and 16, while the sheriff’s office has issued a pre-evacuation order for residents between mile markers 15-19, and county roads 14, 57, 40 and 63.
Firefighters’ main priority today is battling spot fires that crossed the White River on Sunday, according to the sheriff’s office.
Grease and Lee Fires
The Grease and Lee fires, which are also near Meeker, are burning a total of 5,000 acres and spread rapidly over the weekend. The fires are burning in the same area but haven’t merged, according to Pete Irvine, a public information officer with a Wyoming Incident Management team that’s overseeing the response to the fire.
The fires are both creating huge plumes of smoke and continue to grow as gusty winds and hot temperatures persist, according to the Bureau of Land Management. Around 70 firefighters are battling the blazes on Monday, with more expected, according to Irvine.
The Grease fireis burning across state-owned and BLM land, while the Lee Fire s primarily burning on BLM land. More fire crew and equipment is en route to help fight the fires, according to Irvine.
An evacuation order for the Lee fire is in effect for County Road 22 off of County Road 5 and where County Road 76 intersects with County Roads 3 to 5, according to the Rio Blanco sheriff’s office.
The fires are also threatening power and oil and gas infrastructure in the area.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4 p.m. Monday with the latest acreage.
