Firefighters come in Colorado Responding to one of the largest fires in the state’s history is facing gusts and dry conditions, it is expected to continue to drive extreme fire behavior.
More than 1,000 firefighters have been deployed, and while crew members have been curbed in a fire-friendly weather, it has grown more and more.
According to Colorado’s Fire Department, Lee fire stirred on a brush about 250 miles (400 kilometers) from Meeker, 250 miles (400 kilometers), now the fifth largest fire in the state’s history. Officials said the region has recently encountered extreme drought conditions and has a “volatile” fuel load.
The fire caused by the August 2 lightning had burned 130,000 acres (52,000 hectares) on Monday morning, containing only 7% of the fire. Low humidity and gusts of wind are expected to return to the area, coupled with dry fuel, which can cause extreme fire behaviors such as winds carrying ash for long distances and causing additional fires, officials aid.
Another major fire in the area is the Elk Fire, which is burning in the east of the Lee Fire, scorching 14,000 acres, or 30 percent. Officials said containment continued to increase and staff are working to strengthen the existing line of fire.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency on Monday to support the response efforts of the Oak Fire, which burned in Pagosa Springs, Aculetta County.
Mountain communities in Garfield and Rio Blanco County have been evacuated. The Colorado Department of Corrections said the Rifle Corrections Center was evacuated on Saturday “out of a lot of caution.”
The smoke from the fire triggers air quality warnings.
Meanwhile, in the south CaliforniaThe crew reached more than 90% containment on the canyon fire that forced evacuation and destroyed seven buildings, and broke out on Thursday near Los Angeles County and Ventura County line. Three firefighters were injured in that fire, including a battalion commander, who was seriously injured when his pickup truck rolled over steep terrain.
The Gifford Fire is the largest in California so far this year, nearly 120,000 acres of Santa Barbara and San Louis Obispo counties since its August 1st. Monday accounted for 33%.
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