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Rye Evacuations Continue As Aspen Acres Fire Nears 100,000 Acres
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Rye Evacuations Continue As Aspen Acres Fire Nears 100,000 Acres

By: Savannah Eller and Nick Smith | The Denver Gazette The wait has no end in sight for evacuated residents of Rye, near where the Aspen Acres fire continues to burn in rough, tinder-dry terrain to the west. While about 6,400 people have been able to return to communities like Colorado City, Wetmore and Beulah, Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero told attendees at a community meeting Tuesday night that conditions were not yet safe for an additional 3,000 displaced people. “I wish I had the answer,” he said. The problem, explained Brad Washa, operations section chief with the Alaska Complex Incident Management Team, is fuel and weather. He said the part of the fire burning near St. Charles Peak is finding extremely receptive fuel in Engelman spruce trees, many of ...
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Disaster Declaration Issued as Routt County Wildfires Threaten Communities
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Disaster Declaration Issued as Routt County Wildfires Threaten Communities

By: Eugene Buchanan | The Denver Gazette Kris and Jenn Shea of Steamboat Springs were lucky. When the evacuation orders came for their home near the new “Green Ridge Fire” — which erupted near Stagecoach Reservoir, about 15 miles south of Steamboat, on Sunday at 1:45 p.m. and quickly spread to 94.3 acres by that evening — they were both out of town. Jenn was in Buena Vista, and Kris was fishing in Florida. But their friends were there to rally support and grab their belongings.  Fortunately, it didn’t come to that as the order was soon rescinded. But for Kris, it was touch-and-go with the fire spotting just a mile or two away.  “It was pretty surreal,” said Kris, who owns Cruiser’s Sub Shop. “I was in the middle of the Gulf and felt a little handcuffed. My wi...
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Aspen Acres Fire Tops 91,000 Acres as New Evacuations Hit Fremont County
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Aspen Acres Fire Tops 91,000 Acres as New Evacuations Hit Fremont County

By: Dana Coffield | The Colorado Sun The Willow fire near Leadville grew by 900 acres overnight spurring mandatory evacuation of areas southwest of the city. Ouray 100 race canceled because of Gold Mountain fire. The Aspen Acres fire southwest of Pueblo made another surge Sunday, bringing the total acres burned to 91,523, federal fire officials said, and making it the seventh largest wildfire on record in Colorado. Authorities said Thursday the fire was human-caused but released no further details about its origin as it raced northeast from near the Aspen Acres campground across Pueblo County, where it forced the evacuation of the towns of Beulah, Colorado City, Rye, San Isabel and Wetmore. Around 8:15 p.m. Sunday, the Fremont County sheriff issued a mandator...
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FEMA Approves Additional Fire Aid as Colorado Wildfires Burn Across State
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

FEMA Approves Additional Fire Aid as Colorado Wildfires Burn Across State

By Nicholas Fogleman | The Denver Gazette Gov. Jared Polis announced Sunday that FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant for the Willow fire as firefighting efforts continue across the state. The Willow fire has placed more than 1,500 people under mandatory evacuation orders and another 2,100 residents under pre-evacuation notices, according to the governor’s office. The fire, reported June 28, has burned almost 4,000 acres and is 1% contained. “This Federal Fire Management Assistance Grant will help our state take all necessary actions to protect Coloradans and communities,” Polis said in a statement. “Protecting lives, property, and businesses is our top priority.” READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Three Wildland Firefighters Die In Burnover During Western Colorado Fire Fight
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CBS Colorado, Approved, State

Three Wildland Firefighters Die In Burnover During Western Colorado Fire Fight

By: Logan Smith, Christa Swanson | CBS Colorado Three wildland firefighters died Saturday during their response to a pair of Colorado wildfires, federal agencies announced early Sunday morning.  Two other firefighters were injured and flown out by helicopters to area hospitals. "Our immediate focus is on supporting their families, friends, and fellow crewmates during this incredibly difficult time," the U.S. Wildland Fire Service stated in a 12:30 a.m. social media post.  The five fighters were caught in a "burnover," according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Interior. A burnover occurs when firefighters are overtaken or trapped by a wildfire and take cover under protective shelters carried in their packs. Firefighters are trained to use...
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Evacuations Lifted After Wildfire Contained West Of Boulder
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CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Evacuations Lifted After Wildfire Contained West Of Boulder

By Austen Erblat, Sarah Horbacewicz | CBS Colorado Evacuations have been lifted for an area west of Boulder due to a wildfire on Monday evening, Boulder County officials said. County officials said the evacuation orders were in place in the area of 519 Wild Turkey Trail in Fourmile Canyon. As of 10:30 p.m. the fire was 100% contained with about 3 acres burned. Boulder County Evacuees are being told to avoid Wild Turkey Trail and take Evening Star Road for evacuations. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT CBS COLORADO
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Yuma County Fires Race Across Plains Burning Tens Of Thousands Of Acres During 80 MPH Gusts
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

Yuma County Fires Race Across Plains Burning Tens Of Thousands Of Acres During 80 MPH Gusts

By Stephanie Butzer, Robert Garrison | Denver7 Officials told us they believe these fires were caused by downed power lines. Denver7 is working to learn more and will have a crew reporting through the morning. YUMA COUNTY, Colo. — Emergency personnel have contained all but one wildfire in Yuma County overnight after multiple fires broke out Wednesday evening as strong wind gusts pummeled the state. The only fire that was currently active as of 2:30 a.m. Thursday was in a rural area of the county south of Eckley near the Heartstrong neighborhood. It had burned an estimated 40,000 acres as of then, according to Jake Rockwell, emergency manager for Yuma County Office of Emergency Management. By that point, the other fires had been contained. As of 7:40 a.m., the Color...
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Colorado Town Begins Recovery as Pagosa Springs Reopens After Major Flooding
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CBS News, Approved, Local

Colorado Town Begins Recovery as Pagosa Springs Reopens After Major Flooding

By: Austen Erblat | CBS News Evacuations have been lifted and U.S. Highway 160 has reopened in Pagosa Springs after what officials in southern Colorado described as "extreme flooding conditions." Mandatory evacuations were ordered late Saturday night after the San Juan River more than doubled its average flow. "After a thorough inspection, the Highway 160 bridge at First Street has been declared safe and is now fully open to regular traffic," the town wrote in a Facebook post Sunday, just after 8 a.m. "However, standing water and debris remain in various areas, posing ongoing safety risks. As a precaution, all parks and the surrounding downtown areas along the San Juan River will remain temporarily closed to the public. Authorities urge all residents and visitors to avoid these ar...
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Meeker self-evacuates as Elk and Lee fires surge past 75,000 acres
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denvergazette.com, Approved, Local

Meeker self-evacuates as Elk and Lee fires surge past 75,000 acres

By Michael Braithwaite | Denver Gazette The town of Meeker has been self-evacuated as the nearby Elk and Lee fires surpassed 75,000 combined acres Thursday. Both started by lightning earlier this week, the twin fires have drastically grown in size over the past several days. On Tuesday, the Lee Fire was estimated to be 7,750 acres and the Elk Fire at 13,025, according to a Facebook post from the Rio Blanco County Sheriff's Office. Just four days later, the Lee Fire has grown to nearly 61,000 acres and the Elk Fire to 14,236, the office said. Officials have attributed the significant growth to the fire's interior being filled in, though crews have not yet reached any containment on either fire. The blazes' growth has threatened both the town of Meeker and the Highway 64 cor...
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Governor Mobilizes National Guard to Fight Massive Elk and Lee Fires Near Meeker
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Local, Approved, kdvr.com

Governor Mobilizes National Guard to Fight Massive Elk and Lee Fires Near Meeker

By Heather Willard | KDVR Fox 31 DENVER (KDVR) — On Wednesday night, Gov. Jared Polis authorized the mobilization of the Colorado National Guard to aid with fire response near Meeker. The authorization allows the state authority to use the National Guard assets in fire suppression efforts if necessary. The Governor’s Office noted that the wind has continued to drive the Rio Blanco County fires, pushing the Lee Fire to jump Highway 13 on Wednesday and leading to the area around Meeker being evacuated and the town of Meeker being placed on pre-evacuation status. The Lee Fire, as of Wednesday evening, was estimated to have burned 45,000 acres, according to the Colorado Governor’s Office. Over the weekend, Polis verbally declared a disaster emergency for the Elk Fire in Rio Blan...
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