MEEKER | Rio Blanco County officials held an emergency meeting Monday morning with updates on the Elk Fire, approximately 11 miles east of Meeker on County Road 8, following a “chaotic” day Sunday. County officials now confirm the Elk Fire at approximately 2,000 acres.
Sheriff Anthony Mazzola reiterated that the fire, which started Saturday, was lightning-caused, noting that a witness on Miller Creek saw the lightning strike. “Conditions are very, very dry,” Mazzola said. “A little bit of wind yesterday just took that fire and ran it amazingly fast. It blew through the lines we had laid down and kept going east. It’s volatile out there.”
Late Sunday afternoon officials closed County Road 8 from Miller Creek to Mile Marker 16 and began evacuating residents from the area. County Road 8 will remain closed today, according to Mazzola, for the safety of fire crews and the public.
“We are literally fighting the fire on County Road 8. We’ve got engines on the road going back and forth getting water, getting fuel. I appreciate everybody’s cooperation in that. I know we’ve caused a lot of inconvenience to the public so thank you for bearing with us. Getting County Road 8 open is a priority of mine, as soon as possible when it is safe to do so.”
Firefighters’ priority today is controlling spot fires on the south side of the river, Mazzola said. “We don’t want that side to go.”
Two residences and two outbuildings are confirmed to be destroyed, although that number could change. Approximately 50 residences have been evacuated.
Conditions that caused the rapid expansion of the Elk Fire also “blew up” the Lee and Grease fires in the Piceance Creek area west of Meeker at the same time. “We’ve probably got 4,000 acres burning right now,” Mazzola said of the three fires in the county. The Type 3 team will transition to the Piceance area as a Type 2 team comes in to take over the Elk Fire early Tuesday. That team, close to 90 firefighters, will operate out of the Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds.
Mazzola and Emergency Manager Doug Cupp urged people to sign up for Rio Blanco Alerts with their cell phones. “With cell phones, unless you register your phone on Rio Blanco Alerts, no way of knowing if you received the reverse 911. It’s not Big Brother watching, we’re trying to let people know,” Mazzola said. To register, visit https://rioblancoalerts.genasys.com/portal/en