Pueblo County deputies responded to a house near 57th Lane and Cherry Road, south of Boone, after nearby residents reported hearing an explosion at about 2:45 p.m. on Jan. 8, according to the sheriff’s office. By the time deputies arrived, the house was fully engulfed in flames.
Officials with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control are still investigating the explosion, but believe it’s linked to the installation of a water heater at the home, according to an update from the sheriff’s office.
Investigators found propane gas at the scene, sheriff’s officials stated.
A man and a woman were in the home when the explosion happened, according to the sheriff’s office. Search crews found one of the bodies on Jan. 8 and the second in the morning of Jan. 9.
Both victims will be identified by the Pueblo County Coroner’s Office.
A report on the completed investigation is expected to be released by mid-February, according to the sheriff’s office.
A slowly growing, nearly contained wildfire burning on Colorado’s Western Slope is now the fourth-largest on state record, according to fire officials.
As of Monday night, the 90% contained Lee fire had scorched 138,844 acres between Meeker and Rifle. It grew by 1,086 acres on Monday, after multiple days with minimal to no growth.
The new acres consumed by the Lee fire bumped the wildfire from fifth-largest to fourth-largest in Colorado history, passing the 137,760-acre Hayman fire that sparked in 2002, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
The Lee fire is now less than 200 acres away from becoming the third-largest wildfire on state record. Currently, that ranking belongs to the 2020 Pine Gulch fire that burned 139,007 acres.
Rain showers and thunderstorms are forecast across the Western Slope again on Tuesday, bringing much-needed moisture to the state, fire officials said. Previous hot, dry and windy conditions fueled rapid fire growth in multiple counties across western Colorado, charring thousands of acres outside of the Lee fire.
A wildland firefighting truck heads down a road through a hillside burned from the Lee fire near Colorado 64 in Rio Blanco County, west of Meeker, on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Lee and Elk fires, near Meeker
The largest wildfire burning in Colorado — now the fourth-largest ever recorded in the state — consumed more than 1,000 new acres after a week of slow growth and increased containment, fire officials said.
As of Monday night, the 138,844-acre Lee fire burning between Meeker and Rifle was 90% contained, fire officials said.
All mandatory evacuation orders were lifted Saturday, and areas on pre-evacuation status were downgraded to monitoring status on Monday.
No new evacuation orders were issued overnight Monday, despite the new fire growth. An updated evacuation map for Rio Blanco and Garfield counties is available online.
The Lee fire and nearby Elk fire, which consumed more than 14,500 acres before reaching full containment last week, have together destroyed at least five homes and 14 outbuildings, fire officials said.
Extreme drought, high temperatures and strong winds fueled rapid growth on both fires, which were sparked by lightning west and east of Meeker on Aug. 2.
Thunderstorms are most likely near Meeker and Rifle between 9 a.m. and midnight on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Rain showers, which are also expected in that period, could continue through 3 a.m. Wednesday before a brief reprieve.
Rainy weather is expected to continue on Wednesday and Thursday, forecasters said.
While the rain is helpful, afternoon thunderstorms also increase the risk of gusty winds, frequent lightning and flash flooding along burn scars, fire officials said.
Road closures tied to the smaller Crosho fire near Yampa were lifted Monday afternoon. That fire has burned 2,073 acres and is 81% contained.
A plane drops fire retardant on the Derby fire burning in Eagle County on Aug. 22, 2025. (Photo provided by Derby Fire Information)
Derby fire, in Eagle County
A wildfire burning on the edge of Eagle and Garfield counties has scorched more than 5,300 acres, fire officials.
The Derby fire is burning on 5,346 acres with no containment, up roughly 100 acres from Sunday and 1,200 acres from Saturday, fire officials said Monday. No size update was available Tuesday morning.
“We have totally changed the pattern from hot and dry,” said meteorologist Ryan Fliehman in a Monday evening briefing. “I’m afraid we might get too much rain. We are still having chances of precipitation six days out.”
Rain has forced some fire crews to pull back, and crews need to take extra care to avoid damaging dirt roads, which have turned muddy, Operations Chief Ben Patton said.
No containment has been reported on the fire, but officials hope to start solidifying the first bits of containment in the coming days.
The Derby fire was discovered on “remote, rugged terrain” in the White River National Forest, about 15 miles from Dotsero in Eagle County, on Aug. 17, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
It differs from the others burning in Colorado in that it started at higher elevations and has tried to push downhill at night.
Mandatory evacuations and pre-evacuations are in place for the northwest corner of Eagle County, including the town of Gypsum, and an eastern section of Garfield County.
Evacuations were lifted for Sweetwater Valley and Sheep Creek at 10 a.m. Monday, allowing limited access for residents to return home, according to fire officials. Those who need to access Sweetwater Valley and Colorado River Road are being asked to limit their driving to between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to avoid disrupting emergency operations.
At least one building has been destroyed by the wildfire, but it’s unclear what type of building it was.
Parts of White River National Forest remain closed in Eagle and Garfield counties, including southwest of Sweetwater Lake to the west rim of Deep Creek Canyon, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Some BLM lands are also closed, including north and west of Gypsum, north of Coffee Pot Road, west of the Colorado River, east of the White River National Forest boundary and south of Derby Creek.
DENVER — Colorado fire departments need over 2,000 firefighters and more than $25 million in equipment over the next two years, according to a recently released survey.
Lisa Pine, the chief of professional qualifications and training at the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, the findings are similar to their previous report, released in 2022.
“We find we are short quite a number of firefighters, both volunteer firefighters and career firefighters across the state, and that is due to a multitude of factors. This is a nationwide problem, not just a Colorado problem,” Pine said.
G.Mogel/Larimer County Sheriff’s Office
Fire crews respond to the Alexander Mountain Fire on July 31, 2024.
The survey found responding fire departments in Colorado need an additional 1,121 career firefighters and 1,142 volunteer firefighters over the next 2 years.
The report found that departments struggle with the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. This is because of the commitment required, lack of benefits, an aging volunteer base, increased training requirements and competition from other demands on an individual’s time.
Departments are facing recruitment challenges with career firefighters for similar reasons.
“The role of the firefighter has really evolved. Structure fire is not our main bread and butter anymore. We are doing a lot of EMS, hazardous materials, and technical rescue,” Pine said. “It can be a little daunting to people. It is still, I think, the greatest career there is.”
The report found departments need 753 apparatuses, which are the most expensive costs for fire departments. The most needed apparatuses are engines, wildland brush trucks, and ambulances.
Separate from apparatuses, departments would need to spend over $25 million over the next 2 years on equipment like personal protective equipment.
G.Mogel/Larimer County Sheriff’s Office
Firefighters during the first week of the Alexander Mountain Fire, burning west of Loveland.
About 57%, or 194 departments, responded to the survey and 82% said they do not have adequate funding to meet their needs.
Most fire department funding comes from property taxes.
Pine told Denver7 the Colorado Fire Commission is working on creating new models to fund the fire service.
The Colorado Legislature also put forward $5 million through HB22-1194 and an additional $10 million through SB22-002 to address funding needs for personal protective equipment (PPE) and firefighter mental health.
“I do not think anyone should be concerned about the safety of their community. The fire service is built on a very strong, dedicated group of men and women who will do what they need to do to protect their community, regardless of if they have enough people or the right equipment,” Pine said.
Pine said people can support firefighters by becoming informed on how their local fire department is funded and by supporting fundraising efforts like pancake breakfast events.
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo — On or off the clock, 16-month-old Ash doesn’t stop sniffing out new smells.
“If you and I made a pizza and we smell pizza, she would smell the oregano, the garlic, all the ingredients that make up that pizza, down to even the flour,” said Ash’s handler, Matt Morgan with Colorado’s Division of Fire Prevention & Control.
Ash is an ignitable liquids detection canine trained to sniff out the cause of fires across Colorado. She even has the badge to prove it.
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“Any of your gasoline, diesel, lighter fluid, lamp oil, any of those things… she can detect and alert on,” said Morgan.
Since July 1, Ash has been on the front lines of 12 fires, including the Quarry Fire. As soon as the area cools down, Morgan said Ash will get called in to start her work.
The Labrador Retriever can differentiate between 12 different liquids. As soon as she picks up on a scent, she will sit and look at Morgan, pointing her nose exactly at the spot.
“The bond is very strong,” said Morgan.
Typically, Ash trains two hours a day. But the reward isn’t treats — it’s actually her kibble.
As a food reward dog, she must work for her food. Morgan said any treat would distract her from detecting smells.
“There’s no days off… even on the weekends,” said Morgan.
Ash is also a trained therapy dog, helping families impacted by wildfires.
Matt Morgan
Ash as a puppy
“She kind of de-escalates the situation just by her presence,” explained Morgan.
For departments across the state that don’t have the manpower to investigate wildfires, Morgan said Ash does just the trick.
“She’s a resource and a tool,” he said.
The only drawback, Morgan said, is after a long day at work, he owes Ash a full spa treatment.
“We’re in black fire scenes all the time, so the presence of soot and everything else getting on their fur is very difficult to clean up and keep clean,” laughed Morgan.
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