Rio Blanco officials report ~4,000 acres burned, reinforce County Road 8 closure as state assumes command

Rio Blanco County emergency officials reported on Aug. 4 that three lightning-caused fires — the Elk, Lee and Grease fires — have burned roughly 4,000 acres and threatened residences near County Road 8, prompting evacuations, sheltering support and a continued road closure.

Sheriff Anthony Mazzola said the fires began Saturday after a lightning strike and “we had 20 mile an hour winds that just took that fire and ran it amazingly fast.” He said the county was “literally fighting the fire on the County Road 8,” and that the closure remains necessary because engines and support vehicles are using the road to transport water and fuel.

The county said the state, acting at the governor—s direction, has assumed command of the incident so state-level resources and cost-share apply. Mazzola said the state took command around midnight Saturday and that a Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) will stage at the county fairgrounds and is scheduled to brief at 20:00 and take over the Elk Fire at 06:00 the following morning.

Why it matters: the three fires grew quickly in dry fuels and windy conditions, threatened homes and infrastructure, and disrupted power and road access for residents in the affected area. County leaders emphasized public safety, shelter readiness and clearly identified channels for…