Larimer County officials lifted mandatory evacuation orders a few hours after a new wildfire started burning in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests on Thursday afternoon.
The is burning on an estimated 5 acres west of Red Feather Lakes, forest service officials said on social media.
The voluntary evacuation zone is west of Red Feather Lakes, east of Laramie River Road, north of Colorado 14 near Kinikinik and south of Panhandle Creek.
Updated are available online.
Another of Colorado’s newest wildfires, the Derby fire, tripled in size overnight Tuesday and tripled again Wednesday, torching more than 2,600 acres and destroying at least one building.
The was mapped at 250 acres on Tuesday and about 850 acres on Wednesday evening. By Thursday morning, fire officials said the flames had burned 2,624 acres.
Five wildfires burning on Colorado’s Western Slope — the Lee, Elk, Derby, Stoner Mesa and Crosho fires — have together burned more than 165,000 acres, or about 258 square miles.
The fires have threatened hundreds of homes, evacuated Colorado communities and prompted state, U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management land closures.
Jump to: Lee and Elk fires | Derby fire Stoner Mesa fire | Crosho fire | Statewide impacts
Lee and Elk fires, near Meeker
The Lee fire burning near Meeker in Rio Blanco County has seen minimal growth in the past few days as fire crews steadily increase containment.
At 137,755 acres, the is the fifth-largest wildfire in Colorado on record, according to the state’s . It’s also 5 acres away from surpassing the fourth-largest — the Hayman fire, which consumed 137,760 acres in 2002.
The Lee fire started seeing containment jumps Saturday, after rainy weather helped firefighters gain full control of the nearby . As of Thursday night, the Lee fire was 76% contained.
The two drought-fueled wildfires together destroyed five homes and 14 outbuildings.
Both wildfire burn areas are closed to the public, and multiple zones on the Lee fire’s southern edge remain under mandatory evacuation orders. Pre-evacuation orders remain active around the Lee fire, fire officials said.
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The Colorow Mountain and Rio Blanco Lake state wildlife areas reopened Wednesday, according to a news release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The Oak Ridge and Piceance state wildlife areas remain closed. The gates are open for fire crews’ access, but the public is asked to avoid the area.
Parts of and around the Lee and Elk fires also remain closed.
Derby fire, in Eagle County
A quickly spreading wildfire that prompted mandatory evacuations in Eagle County on Tuesday tripled again in size Wednesday.
The 2,624-acre was discovered on “remote, rugged terrain” in the White River National Forest, about 15 miles from Dotsero in Eagle County, late Sunday morning, .
The lightning-sparked wildfire more than tripled overnight Tuesday, growing from 250 acres to nearly 850 acres, fire officials said Wednesday morning. By Thursday morning, the fire had more than tripled in size again and was mapped at 2,624 acres, .
At least one building has been destroyed by the wildfire, according to a briefing from Operations Section Chief Philip Knaub. It’s unclear what type of building it was. Firefighters were able to save other buildings in the area.
The fire is growing on all sides, according to maps provided by fire officials. Flames have spread largely to the west and south, but winds pushed the fire east Wednesday.
Residents of Sweetwater Road and areas along Colorado River Road from Sweetwater to Red Dirt Creek were ordered to evacuate, . Derby Mesa Loop remains on pre-evacuation orders.
An evacuation center with workers and resources opened Wednesday morning in Dotsero at , 80 Lake Shore Drive.
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The U.S. Forest Service also in Eagle and Garfield counties. The closure runs from Sweetwater Lake to the north, east along the forest boundary to Derby Loop Road, northwest along Middle Derby Creek to Island Lakes and south along Island Lakes, W Mountain, Turret-Crescent and Turret Creek trails.
BLM lands in Garfield and Eagle counties , fire officials said. The closure includes all BLM land north and west of Gypsum, north of Coffee Pot Road, west of the Colorado River, east of the White River National Forest boundary and south of Derby Creek.
Stoner Mesa fire, near Dolores
A wildfire burning on more than 9,800 acres in western Colorado’s San Juan National Forest saw containment start to grow on Wednesday, fire officials said.
The lightning-sparked was last mapped at 9,872 acres in Dolores County and is 27% contained, according to a Thursday morning update.
The nearby town of Rico remains on pre-evacuation status, and to the public because of the fire. New pre-evacuation orders were issued Wednesday from the edge of Dolores County along County Road 38 to the West Dolores campground, .
Dry weather on Wednesday afternoon increased fire activity along the fire’s western edge, and the flames crossed Stoner Mesa Trail, .
Crosho fire, near Yampa
The burning on the line between Rio Blanco and Routt counties, west of Yampa, is 52% contained, fire officials said Thursday night.
Fire officials estimated the Crosho fire threatened more than 200 structures, but no buildings had been destroyed as of Thursday.
Pre-evacuation orders remain in place for multiple areas around the fire, and county roads in those areas remain closed to non-residents. Mandatory evacuation orders were lifted Monday.
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Statewide impacts
Air-quality advisories were issued Thursday morning for wildfire smoke, particularly near the Stoner Mesa and Derby fires.
The advisories, which will be in effect until at least 9 a.m. Friday, cover western Eagle, eastern Garfield, southeastern Dolores and northeastern Montezuma counties, .
Smokey conditions are most hazardous for young children, older adults and people with heart disease or respiratory illnesses, state health officials said in the alert.
All residents should limit outdoor activity when heavy smoke is present. If visibility drops to 5 miles or less, the smoke has reached unhealthy levels.
