MEEKER - Governor Polis verbally declared a disaster emergency to support response efforts for the Elk Fire in Rio Blanco County, Southeast of Meeker, Colorado. The Rio Blanco County Sheriff had assumed responsibility for the fire from the local Fire Department, and requested assistance and support from the State. The order provides for additional, external resources and State support to more effectively manage and suppress the fire, and protect the values at risk.
The fire is currently burning on private and state-owned lands and was estimated to be about 100 acres this morning. Interagency aviation and ground resources have been mobilized to assist the efforts, including Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) air and overhead resources, and have been working since yesterday. A Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) has been ordered to assume command of the fire.
Fire conditions in northwest Colorado are at near record levels, and elevated fire weather and fire risk is forecast for the coming week.
With the disaster declaration, the State Emergency Operations and Resource Mobilization Plans are activated and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) coordinates the state response through management of the State Emergency Operations Center and deployment of field operations staff to directly support county emergency managers with consequence management. The Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) is leading the incident management and suppression efforts in conjunction with the other CDPS Divisions.
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