Elk Fire Update – 08/03/2026

Fire Update – Elk Fire
Monday, August 3rd, 2026 – 8:00 a.m.
Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1
Justin Conrad, Incident Commander
Information Phone: 970-299-5357
Email: 2026.elk@firenet.gov
Information Staffing Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Current Situation: As temperatures increase, humidity drops, and fuels dry out, an increase in fire activity can be expected on the Elk Fire. The Multi-Mission Aircraft (MMA), operated by the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) flew over the Elk Fire twice today to provide critical fire information to fire managers. The MMA provides real-time data about fire activity by using infrared technology that can detect areas of heat.

In Division A, north of Elk Creek, suppression repair continues with the support of heavy equipment. Suppression repair work on dozer lines in this fire area will take several days to complete. Crews have removed the last of the water handling equipment along Hwy 149 but will continue to patrol along the Hwy 149 corridor.

On the west side of the fire, Division X is currently unstaffed, but ground resources are available to quickly respond to an increase in fire activity.

Weather and Fire Behavior: A ridge of high pressure continues to keep the temperatures higher than normal with low moisture and low chance of storms in the area. These conditions can facilitate more active fire behavior along with visible smoke production.

Evacuations: Current evacuation information is available for Hinsdale County at hinsdalecounty.colorado.gov.

Closures: The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests closure information is available at fs.usda.gov/r02/gmug/alerts. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Uncompahgre Field Office closures can be found at blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-information/colorado/southwest-district.

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 flight restrictions, visit knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Fire Statistics:
Size: 2,349 acres
Containment: 49%
Total Personnel: 44
Location: 7 Miles NW of Lake City, CO
Reported: July 9, 2026
Cause: Lightning

For More Information:
Information Phone: 970-299-5357
Email: 2026.elk@firenet.gov
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2026elkfire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/cogmf-elk-fire
LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/2026ElkPublic