Fire Update: Elk Fire
Monday, August 10, 2026 – 8:00 a.m. MDT
Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 2
Incident Commander Rodney Redinger
Phone (public and media inquiries): 970-299-535
Email: 2026.elk@firenet.gov
Safety Message: Heavy firefighter traffic remains in the area, traveling local roadways, transporting heavy equipment and engines. Remain cautious when traveling on Highway 149, County Road 20 and in the Lake City neighborhoods.
Current Situation: With moderate fire behavior observed on Elk Fire yesterday, growth was minimal. Fire activity was observed on the western edge of fire, and a small smoke column was observed for a few hours yesterday afternoon. Aviation was utilized to cool the fire perimeter and allow ground resources to work closer to the fire’s edge. Unmanned Aerial Systems continue to be used to identify areas of heat that ground resources could access and extinguish.
Fire crews successfully secured fire line around structures on the northeast edge of the fire today. Crews will continue to extinguish hot spots near structures and prepare neighborhoods near the fire for structure protection if the need arises. Structure protection preparation will include crews staging supplies near the neighborhoods for quicker setup.
Firefighters are assessing areas east of 149 for potential areas where they can successfully hold the fire in the unlikely event that embers spot across the highway.
Weather and Fire Behavior: Today fire behavior will be similar as it was on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to be in the low- to mid-80s with minimum relative humidity around 20%. Storms are expected to begin forming this afternoon, bringing lightning and scattered, isolated showers. Smoke may be visible as stump holes, roots, and large fuels continue to burn within the fire’s perimeter.
A gradual increase in atmospheric moisture is predicted over the next several days, which will bring increasing chances of precipitation through the week.
Closure Orders: Closure orders are still in effect throughout areas of the Gold Mountain Fire. For current closure information, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/gmug/alerts/gold-mountain-wildfire-area-closure-order-amended.
No Fly Zone: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the Gold Mountain and Elk Fire areas is in effect. Flying drones near the fire is prohibited and can interfere with firefighting aircraft, potentially grounding aerial suppression operations. For more information on safe drone operations, visit knowbeforeyoufly.org. For information on the TFR visit https://tfr.faa.gov.
Size: 7,071 acres | Containment: 33 % | Cause: Lightning | Start Date: July 9, 2026
Location: Point of origin 7 miles NW of Lake City, CO | Total Personnel: 177
