Western Colorado is currently experiencing significant wildfire activity, with the Lee Fire ranking as the fifth-largest wildfire in the state's recorded history. As of August 14, 2025, the Lee Fire had consumed an estimated 123,222 acres and was only 3% contained. This blaze ignited on August 2, 2025, near Meeker, fueled by dry conditions and lightning strikes, which also caused the Elk Fire that same day, scorching 14,549 acres. In response to the escalating threat from these and other wildfires, Colorado Governor Jared Polis declared a state of emergency on August 5, 2025, a declaration that was expanded on August 6, 2025, to include the Lee Fire. By August 14, 2025, nine large fires and 24 uncontained fires were burning across Colorado, having consumed over 185,000 acres. The Lee Fire's rapid growth necessitated substantial evacuations in Garfield and Rio Blanco counties, with some zones under mandatory evacuation or on "ready" status. The Rifle Correctional Center, housing 179 inmates, was evacuated on August 9, 2025, as a precautionary measure against the Lee Fire.
Adding to the heightened wildfire risks, Boulder County implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions effective August 12, 2025, due to dry weather conditions and forecasts for thunderstorms. Firefighting operations are ongoing, with over 2,300 firefighters and 41 aircraft engaged in suppression efforts, facing challenges from high winds, low humidity, and arid landscapes. Governor Polis has allocated an additional $2.5 million to the Wildfire Emergency Response Fund to bolster these efforts. The intensity of the current season, with the Lee Fire already a historic event, reflects a trend of increasing wildfire activity in recent years, as indicated by data from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, which shows a significant majority of the state's largest wildfires occurring in the last two decades. The 2020 wildfire season was particularly devastating, featuring the three largest wildfires in Colorado's history.