Fire Update – Elk Fire
Wednesday, August 5th, 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: Managers continue to implement the full suppression strategy that had been developed for the fire. A full suppression strategy can be implemented by either indirect confinement or direct extinguishment or a combination of both. Due to the terrain and inaccessibility of the Elk Fire footprint, managers have determined that an indirect confinement strategy will be the most effective and will produce the highest probability of success. While recent rain helped moderate fire activity, it did not put the fire out. Recent hot, dry, windy weather will continue to cause flareups. Residents and visitors alike should be prepared to see variations in fire activity due to terrain, fuels, and weather conditions. Smoke observed yesterday afternoon was from increased fire activity on the south side of the fire, moving further into the Uncompahgre Wilderness Area.
In Division A, along Hwy 149, engines will continue to patrol the established indirect fireline, with 5 additional engine crews arriving from Gold Mountain fire. Crews have access to water handling equipment to place around structures in the event it is needed. Two additional specialized fire crews are in place for additional support. These crews are self-sufficient and used to working in remote and rugged terrain. Suppression repair work continues along the dozerline north of the fire near Elk Creek and along Alpine Road. Division X continues to remain unstaffed.
Weather and Fire Behavior: The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the Elk Fire from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm, which means that the weather conditions are conducive for extreme fire behavior. The area will see the continued drying trend to last through the weekend. Fire behavior can be elevated in the afternoon if the winds align with the canyons.
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: 2,785 acres
Containment: 44%
Total Personnel: 33
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
