07/17/2026
NOT A BAD UPDATE FOLKS!! 💦🙏🏼🤞🏻Baby steps in the right direction! Thank you ALL FIREFIGHTING PERSONNEL!
Northwest 8 Complex Incident Management Team took command of the Elk Fire yesterday evening. As the incoming Complex Incident Management Team, we extend our sincere gratitude to the Wyoming Type 3 Incident Management Team 1 for their outstanding leadership, professionalism and dedication throughout their time managing this incident. Their commitment to firefighter and public safety, strong coordination with agency partners, and thoughtful planning have established a solid foundation for continued operations.
Operational Update
Fire activity on the Elk Fire remained low yesterday, supported by two waves of rainfall and elevated humidity. Though little precipitation reached the fire, increased moisture in the air helped moderate fire behavior. Heavy timber and brush fuels continue to support smoldering and creeping behavior. The fire was most active on the southeast side, now established in Independence Gulch within beetle-killed timber, with continued heat pockets and slow spread through grass, brush, and heavy fuels. Helicopters conducted water bucket drops along the fire’s edge to slow progression, and aircraft assigned to the incident also assisted with new wildfire starts in the area.
The fire continues to burn in remote, rugged wilderness terrain with no safe ground access and high risk associated with emergency extraction or medical evacuation. Because of these conditions, firefighters are using indirect suppression tactics around the perimeter, allowing crews to work safely while establishing a secure containment footprint. Crews are leveraging natural barriers, roads, and strategic landscape features to build firelines and protect values at risk. Firefighter safety remains the top priority.
Today, firefighters will continue to scout opportunities for indirect fireline, focusing on the east and south sides of the fire footprint to strategically position resources. When conditions allow, crews will take advantage of opportunities to utilize direct extinguishment. Structure assessment and protection will continue along Highway 149. On the southern end of the fire, firefighters will work with aircraft to moderate fire intensity and slow fire spread.
Crews will also conduct structure assessments along Highway 20.
Highway 149 remains open. Motorists should expect increased firefighter traffic and a reduced speed limit through the incident area. Slow down, stay alert, and use caution.
Alpine Loop remains open. Forest Service roads 877 and 870 (Nellie Creek and Matterhorn Trailheads) to the north are designated side roads that are closed.
Weather:
A monsoon weather pattern will continue through next week, bringing daily chances for afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms across the area. Outside of thunderstorms, winds are expected to remain light, with occasional afternoon and early evening gusts of 15–20 mph. Overnight humidity recovery will be good, and daytime relative humidity is expected to remain at 20–30% or higher. While rainfall may help moderate fire activity in some areas, thunderstorms can also produce gusty, erratic winds and lightning, which may influence fire behavior.
Evacuations:
Hinsdale County:
• GO NOW - The Hinsdale County Sheriff’s Office issued a “GO EVACUATE NOW” evacuation notice for two evacuation zones north and west of the Town of Lake City. The zones are specifically west of Highway 149, north of Independence Gulch Trailhead to the county line, Zones HNS-E002 and HNS-005.
• GET SET - A new “GET SET” Evacuation Notice was issued yesterday for Zone HNS-003. Zone HNS-E006
remains in a “GET SET” status.
• GET READY - Additionally, several evacuation zones in Hinsdale County remain in GET READY (Green) status. Residents should follow the Hinsdale County page for the latest evacuation information and sign up to receive emergency notifications through the Hinsdale County website.
Gunnison County: Evacuation zone GNN-220 in southern Gunnison County remains in pre-evacuation status. This includes properties along Highway 149 north of the Hinsdale County line, south of the Whinnery Ranch gravel pit, and extending east and west to the National Forest boundaries. Updated evacuation information for Gunnison County is available at https://emergency.gunnisoncounty.org/elk-fire.
Shelters:
An Evacuation Center has been set up at the Lake City Armory at 230 N. Bluff Street. If you need to evacuate livestock or large animals such as horses, cattle, goats, swine, or sheep, the Gunnison County Fairgrounds, located at 275 South Spruce Street in Gunnison, has been set up as an evacuation location. Call 970-641-7660 if you are bringing animals. Mandatory vet checks will be conducted on all animals entering.
Closures: The National Forest has implemented an area closure west of Hwy 149 and north of CR 20 in Hinsdale and Gunnison Counties. For further information visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/gmug
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Gunnison Field Office has implemented a temporary emergency closure for public lands within Gunnison and Hinsdale Counties. For further information visit: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-information/colorado/southwest-district
Road Closures: Forest Service Road 7868 (Alpine Road) remains closed. Some public maps display the route as Road 868. Forest Service roads 877 and 870 (Nellie Creek and Matterhorn Trailheads) to the north are closed.
Smoke Forecast: www.airnow.gov/wildfires/.
No Fly Zone: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the area remains in effect. Flying drones near the fire is pro-hibited and can interfere with firefighting aircraft, potentially grounding aerial suppression operations. http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.
U.S. Forest Service-Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre & Gunnison National Forests
Gunnison County Emergency Management
Hinsdale County, Colorado
