As rain falls on Derby Fire and more resources arrive, officials organize efforts to allow limited access for evacuees
Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3/Courtesy photo
The Derby Fire grew to 5,346 acres over the weekend at 0% containment, according to a Sunday post from the Derby Fire Colorado Facebook page. Afternoon rains have helped slow the fire’s spread, with high winds and lightning keeping officials on watch.
As crews continue to make progress on fire lines, some officials have pivoted their efforts to helping evacuees get back into their homes, if only for a limited amount of time.
“Officials are working on a plan to allow limited access to the evacuation zone for some Sweetwater residents,” the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office posted to its Facebook page at 2 p.m. Sunday. “Specifically, those who own property or depend on it for their livelihood. More details are coming soon. Evacuation orders remain in effect.”
Later Sunday evening, Eagle County Sheriff’s Office announced that they will “begin transitioning Sweetwater Valley and Sheep Creek from full evacuation to pre-evacuation (SET) status. This change will allow residents to return to their properties while remaining prepared to leave if conditions change.”
“This is not a full repopulation, as the risks are still very high and residents should remain prepared to vacate at any time,” said James Van Beek, Eagle County Sheriff.
Reentry for residents will require verification of residency or property ownership at the closure points on Colorado River Road, according to the release.
Since the Derby Fire sparked, an estimated 200 to 400 residents have had to leave their homes, said Birch Barron, Eagle County’s emergency management director. Hundreds of livestock have also been relocated in a county-wide effort to house animals that were threatened by the fire. Several cattle remain in the area as ranchers continue working to gradually relocate the larger animals as needed.
The amount of resources and fire personnel also grew to 525 from Saturday’s reported 378, according to the Sunday morning update.
The Colorado River Road closure has been extended south, closing access to Coffeepot Road. The White River National Forest has expanded their closure order to include the area southwest of Sweetwater Lake to the west rim of Deep Creek Canyon.
Monsoonal rains are in the forecast every afternoon through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Incident Meteorologist Ryan Fliehman explained in a Saturday video update that the storms can bring their own set of concerns for the firefighters, such as strong wind gusts, lightning, flash flooding and debris flows.
