Wildfire in the West

This month we spoke with the Mayor of Leadville Dana Greene on tourism and wildfire, and Mayor of Glenwood Springs Marco Dehm on housing and homelessness.

The Lee fire west of Meeker is now the fifth largest wildfire in Colorado history, after scorching more than 120,000 acres so far. Firefighters have battled 100-foot flames as the fire spread at rates exceeding 1 mph. The inferno raced southward over the weekend, crossing into Garfield County, threatening Rifle and closing Highway 13 just north of town. Monday evening fire managers held a public meeting at Colorado Mountain College in Rifle. District 3 Congressman Jeff Hurd made an appearance, as officials forecast conditions that could lead to an unpredictable day for firefighters today (Wednesday, August 13).

Longtime Meeker resident Peggy Strate is packed and ready to go. Many Meekerites have already vacated their homes, anticipating evacuation orders to come any minute. Strate says she feels optimistic and grateful to first responders, but with both the Lee and Elk fires at 0% containment, anything is possible.

A wolf has killed three sheep in Rio Blanco County, but wildlife officials say the Elk Fire that has burned over 13,000 acres is preventing them from deploying lethal force.

Updates from the Coulter Creek Fire outside Carbondale

KDNK’s news team brings you local and regional news from the Roaring Fork Valley ... and beyond.

KDNK’s news team brings you local and regional news from the Roaring Fork Valley ... and beyond.

KDNK’s news team brings you local and regional news from the Roaring Fork Valley ... and beyond.

As winter comes to a close, we are already seeing red flag warnings and prescribed burns across our region. Some experts say that the wildfire season has been expanding due to climate change, and human expansion, so the Carbondale Fire Department is hosting a community wildfire preparedness meeting.

It's been two years since the Marshall Fire burned more than a thousand homes in Boulder County. On December 30, 2021, winds of more than 100-miles-per-hour propelled the flames towards a heavily populated suburban area south of Boulder. Two years on, many homeowners continue to grapple with insurance companies.