The Elk and Lee fires in Rio Blanco county surpassed 103,000 combined acres as of Saturday morning, prompting additional evacuation orders, according to the Aug. 9 update from the Rocky Mountain Incident Management team.

Burning at just over 14,502 acres, the Elk Fire is 8% contained while the Lee Fire, burning at roughly 88,700 acres, remains 0% contained.

At around 7 a.m. Saturday morning, officials upgraded evacuation Zone 63 to the “Go” status, urging residents living in the area, which is located on the south side of the Lee Fire, to leave the area immediately. An hour earlier, Zones 80 and 81 in the northern edge of Garfield County were upgraded to the “Set” status with residents urged to “BE READY” to evacuate.

Officials also placed Zone 66 in the area of Rifle under the green, “BE READY” status on Saturday.

Just after 5 p.m. Friday, a new Evacuation zone was created – Zone 64 was separated and a new zone, 65, was established. Zone 65 is to the west of Highway 13. Zone 65 has moved to GO (Red) Evacuate NOW. Zone 62 and 64 have been elevated to SET (Yellow).

Confirm your location and evacuation zone using the map here: https://tinyurl.com/nxmx65hj

The Saturday morning update on the fires noted 1,245 personnel are working the fires. Thirteen aircraft, 62 engines, e21 hand crews and 13 pieces of heavy equipment are involved.

Lee Fire

Officials noted pyro cumulus clouds developed as a result of the Lee Fire’s “extreme” behavior on Friday which included high winds and extremely dry vegetation. The fire moved “rapidly to the southeast.” Officials noted that while the fire prompted the pre-evacuation orders in Garfield County, it did not cross the county line.

Aerial resources were used primarily in the morning on Friday, but operations were suspended to the afternoon’s high winds which were reportedly gusting at 45 mph.

On Saturday morning, officials said crews were working on flames observed across Rio Blanco County Road 5 on Friday, “to contain the spots and keep the fire from spreading toward Colorado Highway 13 and into Garfield County.”

Elk Fire

On Friday, the incident management team said smoke from the Lee Fire shaded the Elk fire “and reduced fire behavior allowing firefighters to further reinforce fire lines” and perform structure protection over Friday night.

As of Saturday morning, the update said crews were continuing to “mop up” containment lines to keep the fire from further spread.

Another Red Flag Warning is in effect Saturday from 1 a.m. to 8 p.m. with temperatures ranging from the low-80s and humidity falling to the low teens.

Winds are expected to shift to the north-northeast.

“These weather conditions along with the dry fuels are conducive to extreme fire behavior,” the Saturday update noted.