Elkhorn Fire Update
Saturday, August 2, 2025
Acres: 317 | Containment: 23% | Reported: 07/26/25 | Cause: Under Investigation | Personnel: 248
Highlights: The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office lifted evacuations in Zones 6 and Zone 7 on Friday evening. Zones 3 and Zone 5 were changed from “Go” to “Get set.” A
Forest
Closure Order of Missionary Ridge Road remains in place.
New fire activity is still possible, especially as the weather gets warmer and drier in the days ahead.
Fire Behavior & Weather: The fire area received a modest .02 of an inch on Friday. Scattered thunderstorm development is possible Saturday afternoon, with only a slight change of rain. Humidity will continue to be higher, as with previous days and winds
will be light but become more gusty and erratic as the thunderstorms develop. Monsoonal episodes begins to wane on Saturday, bringing lower chances of precipitation each day. Hot and dry conditions are forecast to return on Sunday and persist into the following
week.
Operations Yesterday:
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Crews on all sides of the fire continued to widen the firelines by searching for and putting out hot spots close to the line.
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On the northeast section of the fire, a helicopter transported sling loads of flexible water storage tanks, called blivits, and backpack pumps to allow crews to continue to address hot spots along the handline in the Bear Creek drainage.
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A Type 1 Heavy Lift K-MAX Helicopter flew a cycle in the afternoon to address persistent hot spots.
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Progress was slowed at times due to lightning, triggering safety protocols necessitating that firefighters return to their vehicles while lightning was in the area.
Operations Today:
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Mop-up operations will continue and additional containment is expected in areas where there is high confidence that control lines will hold.
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Mapping missions are planned in Division Golf (north), and firefighters there will continue securing line into Division Uniform (northeast).
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Helicopters will again be available to make water drops and ferry supplies in support of the crews on the ground.
La Plata County Evacuation Information: readylaplata.org