At least one structure has been lost in the Derby Fire, and officials have opened an evacuation center at Two Rivers Community Center in Dotsero, where resources are available for those displaced.
The Eagle County fairgrounds is accepting livestock. The Eagle Sports Complex parking lot is available for evacuees to park and camp.
The fire, northwest of the small community of Dotsero, is now more than 2,600 acres. While it’s still zero percent contained, fire officials said Thursday that its growth has slowed.
Philip Knaub, operations section chief with Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 3, said conditions were good and the weather has been in their favor. The fire has been burning in steep, rugged terrain that has been hard to access.
Knaub said now the fire is moving towards flatter meadows. “So we’re anticipating some success to hold this fire as it moves down to the south.”
Preventing the fire from reaching Interstate 70, a vital east-west link through Colorado, is a priority.
Fire officials plan to hold a community update at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, which will be streamed on Facebook.
