A slow-growing, nearly contained wildfire burning on Colorado’s Western Slope is now the fourth-largest on state record, according to fire officials.
As of Tuesday night, the 90% contained Lee fire had scorched 138,844 acres between Meeker and Rifle. It grew by 1,086 acres on Monday, after multiple days with minimal to no growth.
The new acres consumed by the Lee fire bumped the wildfire from fifth-largest to fourth-largest in Colorado history, passing the 137,760-acre Hayman fire that sparked in 2002, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
The Lee fire is now less than 200 acres away from becoming the third-largest wildfire on state record. Currently, that ranking belongs to the 2020 Pine Gulch fire that burned 139,007 acres.
Rain showers and thunderstorms hit the Western Slope again on Tuesday, bringing much-needed moisture to the state while also raising concerns about flash flooding over burn scars. Debris flowing off of the Lee fire burn scar briefly closed Rio Blanco County Road 5 on Tuesday afternoon, fire officials said.
Weeks of hot, dry and windy conditions have fueled rapid fire growth on other fires burning across western Colorado, charring thousands of acres outside of the Lee fire.
Jump to: Lee and Elk fires | Derby fire | Crosho fire
Lee and Elk fires, near Meeker
The largest wildfire burning in Colorado — now the fourth-largest ever recorded in the state — consumed more than 1,000 new acres after a week of slow growth and increased containment, fire officials said.
As of Tuesday night, the 138,844-acre Lee fire burning between Meeker and Rifle was 90% contained, .
All mandatory evacuation orders were lifted Saturday, and areas on pre-evacuation status were downgraded to monitoring status on Monday.
No new evacuation orders were issued Monday or Tuesday, despite the new fire growth. An updated for Rio Blanco and Garfield counties is available online.
The Lee fire and nearby Elk fire, which consumed more than 14,500 acres before reaching full containment last week, have together destroyed at least five homes and 14 outbuildings, fire officials said.
Extreme drought, high temperatures and strong winds fueled rapid growth on both fires, which were sparked by lightning west and east of Meeker on Aug. 2.
Thunderstorms and rain showers expected over and could continue until 3 a.m. Wednesday before a brief reprieve, according to the National Weather Service.
Rainy weather is expected to continue on Wednesday and Thursday, forecasters said.
While the rain is helpful, afternoon thunderstorms also increase the risk of gusty winds, frequent lightning and flash flooding along burn scars, fire officials said.
Derby fire, in Eagle County
A wildfire burning on the edge of Eagle and Garfield counties has scorched more than 5,300 acres, fire officials.
The is burning on 5,346 acres with 2% containment, up roughly 100 acres from Sunday and 1,200 acres from Saturday, fire officials said. Minimal fire growth was reported Tuesday.
“We have totally changed the pattern from hot and dry,” said meteorologist Ryan Fliehman in a . “I’m afraid we might get too much rain. We are still having chances of precipitation six days out.”
Rain has forced some fire crews to pull back, and crews need to take extra care to avoid damaging dirt roads, which have turned muddy, Operations Chief Ben Patton said.
What does it mean when a wildfire is “contained”? A look at how containment is determined.
The Derby fire was discovered on "remote, rugged terrain" in the White River National Forest, about 15 miles from Dotsero in Eagle County, on Aug. 17, .
It differs from the others burning in Colorado in that it started at higher elevations and has tried to push downhill at night.
Mandatory evacuations and pre-evacuations are in place for the northwest corner of Eagle County, including the town of Gypsum, and an eastern section of Garfield County.
Evacuations were lifted for Sweetwater Valley and Sheep Creek at 10 a.m. Monday, allowing limited access for residents to return home, . Red Dirt Creek Road, Sweetwater, and Colorado River Roads are set to reopen at 8 a.m. Wednesday under a pre-evacuation status, sheriff's officials said Tuesday.
Updated are available online.
At least one building has been destroyed by the wildfire, but it's unclear what type of building it was.
U.S. Forest Service officials will reopen parts of that were closed in Eagle and Garfield counties on Wednesday because of recent rain that has reduced fire activity.
The new closure area includes the area northeast of Sweetwater Lake and continues along the Derby Mesa Rim. A map of the closure area is available online.
Some , including 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.
Crosho fire, near Yampa
A wildfire burning on the edge of Rio Blanco and Routt counties, northeast of the Lee and Elk fires, is fully contained, fire officials announced Tuesday morning.
The was first discovered on Aug. 11 near Yampa and charred 2,073 acres before it was fully contained, fire officials said.
Most road closures around the wildfire were lifted Monday afternoon, fire officials said. Routt County Road 15 remains closed from the intersection of Routt County Road 17 to Crosho Lake.
Parts of the remain closed to the public, including the Chapman Reservoir Campground, Crosho Lake area and surrounding forest, according to the .
