DELTA COUNTY - Governor Polis verbally declared a disaster emergency to support response efforts for the LeRoux Fire in Delta County. This order takes effect at 12:01am on Tuesday, August 5. The Sheriff has requested State responsibility as the fire has grown beyond local capability and capacity. The order provides for additional, external resources and State support to more effectively manage and suppress the fire, and protect the values at risk.
The fire is currently burning on private and Bureau of Land Management land and is estimated to be about 700 acres. 15 homes have been evacuated with 152 on pre-evacuation notice. Interagency aviation and ground resources have been mobilized to assist the efforts, including Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) air and overhead resources. A Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) has been ordered to assume command of the fire.
Fire conditions in western Colorado are at near record levels, and elevated fire weather and fire risk are forecast for the coming week.
With the disaster declaration, the State Emergency Operations and Resource Mobilization Plans are activated and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) coordinates the state response through management of the State Emergency Operations Center and deployment of field operations staff to directly support county emergency managers with consequence management. The Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) is leading the incident management and suppression efforts in conjunction with the other CDPS Divisions.
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