MEEKER, Colo. — Some residents in Meeker have decided to voluntarily evacuate as two wildfires threaten the small town on Colorado's Western Slope.
Meeker, home to roughly 2,300 residents, is located near the White River and surrounded by public lands. The town is well known for outdoor activities.
On August 2, lightning started two fires: the Lee Fire and the Grease Fire. The two fires eventually merged, and the blaze is now known as the Lee Fire.
As of Wednesday evening, the Lee Fire is 45,000 acres in size and 0% contained. Fire officials said the blaze is threatening the area due to its extreme behavior.
Burning roughly 15 miles away is the Elk Fire, which has scorched roughly 14,250 acres. The fire was also sparked by lightning on August 2.
Wildfire
Colorado wildfires: Lee Fire jumps to 45,000 acres; Meeker under pre-evac notice
Mandi Etheridge, Meeker town administrator, told Denver7 that the fires have already destroyed property.
“A lot of it is Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service property, but there is some private property interspersed through all of that, and our local fire team has done an incredible job at trying to save structures,” Etheridge said. “There have been some houses saved, some houses not saved.”
On Wednesday, Governor Jared Polis mobilized the Colorado National Guard to support response efforts for the Lee and Elk Fires.
The Town of Meeker has been placed under a pre-evacuation notice. City leaders are working around the clock, preparing for the possibility of mandatory evacuations.
The Rio Blanco County Sheriff's Office has evacuated residents who live outside of town boundaries.
While there is no mandatory evacuation issued for Meeker, some residents have already left.
“A lot of people have voluntarily evacuated already," Etheridge said. "The air quality here is not great, so sometimes it's best to go ahead and get out while you can."
There are still many residents waiting for the word of a mandatory evacuation.
“I've lived in Meeker for just over 20 years. Obviously, there has been wildfires in our surrounding area in northwest Colorado, but nothing quite this impactful for our community,” Etheridge said.
