Overview
- The Elk Fire, first reported after a lightning strike on July 9, 2026, is burning roughly seven miles northwest of Lake City in Hinsdale County.
- Incident managers say the blaze has continued to grow and is now being fought with more personnel and equipment, with containment reduced from earlier levels.
- Hinsdale County issued a mandatory evacuation for the San Juan Springs subdivision and placed downtown Lake City and multiple nearby neighborhoods on pre-evacuation (Get Set) status on Friday.
- Fire crews have added engines, started night operations, staged water-handling gear for structure protection and deployed amphibious 'Super Scooper' airtankers to slow the fire's eastern edge.
- A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place, parts of GMUG National Forests and BLM lands remain closed, and officials say short-term hot, dry weather will keep behavior active though forecasts show increasing moisture later this weekend.