Updated at 3:41 p.m. on August 7, 2025.
The Lee fire is now the largest burning in the state, after it more than doubled overnight Wednesday and has continued to grow throughout Thursday, from 22,000 yesterday to 58,000 acres Thursday afternoon. Gov. Jared Polis has declared a state of emergency. Multiple agencies are fighting the fire, with nearly 500 firefighters, 14 aircraft and 15 fire engines.
Firefighters are trying to prevent the fire from crossing back over State Highway 13 and burning the city, amid exceptionally hot, dry conditions and a major drought on the Western Slope.
Homes outside the small ranching town have been evacuated and a shelter has been set up at Moffat County High School in nearby Craig, just northeast of Meeker. To the south, Colorado Mountain College in Rifle is offering its parking lot for folks fleeing, especially with RVs and trailers.
The Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds is providing emergency shelter for evacuated livestock. Roads are closed throughout the area.
The town of Meeker is under a pre-evacuation order, which means residents should be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
Gov. Polis declared a state of emergency over the fires and called in the National Guard Wednesday to assist in firefighting efforts, after the Lee fire merged with the Grease fire and grew considerably.
Both were initially burning on Bureau of Reclamation land, but have now spread to include other federal, state, and private lands. The fires are growing rapidly and are zero percent contained.
Nearly the entire state is under a red flag warning for extreme fire risk through Thursday night. Low humidity, drought and gusty winds up to 40 mph are expected to continue.
Air quality alerts and health advisories are in effect across the entire state through Thursday afternoon, as wildfire smoke drifts to the Front Range. Sensitive populations are advised to take precautions.
Resources are spread thin as firefighters respond to multiple blazes across the Western Slope.
Elk fire
The nearby Elk fire also nearly doubled overnight from 8,000 to 14,250 acres. It’s burning 10 miles southeast of Meeker and moving away from the community.
LeRoux fire
The LeRoux fire, north of Hotchkiss in Delta County, remains at 179 acres and is 35 percent contained. Some pre-evacuation orders are in effect northeast of Orchard City.
After three days, residents who had been evacuated were allowed to return to their homes on Wednesday.
Twelve fire
In Moffat County, the Twelve fire has grown to 4,287 acres and is zero percent contained. Some local road closures are in place, and the sheriff's office has slowed the speed limit on State Highway 40.
More Western Slope fires
Several additional fires continue to smolder but are partially or largely contained, including the Stoner Mesa fire near Rico, at 514 acres. It has closed several campgrounds in the San Juan National Forest.
The larger South Rim fire in Black Canyon of the Gunnison, which has been burning since early July, is still smoking at 4,232 acres and is 52 percent contained. The Turner Gulch fire, outside the community of Gateway, is more than 25,000 acres and is 49 percent contained.
