As the Elk Fire continues to burn through Rio Blanco County, Governor Jared Polis has taken decisive action, verbally declaring a disaster emergency to ramp up response efforts. The emergency declaration comes in response to the growing threat of the blaze, now encompassing 100 acres of both private and state-owned lands southeast of Meeker, Colorado. This move will effectively unlock additional state resources and external support to bolster ongoing fire suppression initiatives.
The responsibility of managing the inferno was assumed by the Rio Blanco County Sheriff's office, taking the helm from the local fire department, which had been first at the scene. According to the Colorado Governor's Office, the sheriff requested support from the state, recognizing the fire's magnitude and potential for further escalation. Mobilized to assist were both ground and interagency aviation resources, which include assets from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC), and a Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) has been ordered to take command of the firefighting efforts.
The threat from the conflagration is compounded by the prevailing conditions in northwest Colorado, which are seeing near-record fire weather. With forecasts predicting elevated fire risk in the week ahead, the disaster declaration couldn't be more timely. The declaration prompts the activation of the State Emergency Operations and Resources Mobilization Plan, setting the stage for a coordinated response to the disaster.
Under the governor's order, the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) is orchestrating the state's response. With the State Emergency Operations Center now operational, the DHSEM is managing resources and field operations to support county emergency managers actively. With fire suppression efforts underway by the DFPC in collaboration with other CDPS Divisions, the state is marshaling its forces to protect the community and the land from the ravaging Elk Fire.
