A wildfire burning in western Colorado, briefly thought to be the fourth-largest in state history, was bumped back down to fifth place after firefighters more accurately mapped the burn area.
“The reported acreage on the Lee Fire has been adjusted back to the original size noted earlier in the week, following improved mapping,” . “The earlier increase was due to limitations in the previous data, which temporarily raised the estimate.”
The was estimated on Tuesday to be burning on 138,844 acres between Meeker and Rifle, .
The 1,086-acre jump in size from Monday — after multiple days with limited to no growth — firmly placed it as Colorado’s fourth-largest wildfire on record, .
But that jump was reverted on Wednesday, and the fire’s estimated size dropped back down to 137,758 acres — just smaller than the 137,760-acre Hayman fire that sparked in 2002. The Hayman fire is once again the fourth-largest wildfire in state history.
As of Thursday morning, the Lee fire was 90% contained. Crews are patrolling the perimeter to lock down the last bit of containment.
Thunderstorms are expected Thursday across Colorado’s Western Slope between 2 p.m. and midnight, according to the .
While rainy weather and cooler temperatures have quelled the wildfire’s growth, the storms will bring another chance for flash flooding in and near the Lee fire’s burn scar, .
