Rifle Correctional Center evacuated as Lee Fire spreads toward Garfield County
The Colorado Department of Corrections evacuated all 179 incarcerated individuals from the Rifle Correctional Center Sunday due to the rapidly growing Lee Fire in Rio Blanco County, according to a statement.
The Lee Fire has burned over 110,000 acres in Rio Blanco County as of Monday, according to the complex incident management team responding to the fire, making it the fifth largest in Colorado history and prompting evacuation orders in both Rio Blanco and Garfield counties.
The evacuation from the Rifle Correctional Center began on Saturday, Aug. 9 and was completed by 10:30 p.m., with all inmates transferred to the Buena Vista Correctional Complex outside the fire zone.
No injuries occurred among staff or those in custody, the department said, and medical personnel are on-site at the new location.
Family members can maintain contact with inmates through Securus tablets or the telephone system, the statement added. Safety remains the top priority for staff, incarcerated individuals and the broader community, and officials will continue to closely monitor fire conditions.
“While no incarcerated individuals remain at Rifle Correctional Center, staff are still on-site working with state and local emergency management officials on pre-evacuation measures to safeguard the facility and property,” the statement wrote.
The Lee Fire’s spread has kept emergency crews on high alert, with authorities urging residents in the region to stay informed and prepared for changing conditions.
This story is from Steamboatpilot.com.
