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Elk

Hinsdale, CO · Natural

Crews have this fire 90% contained. Nearby public lands are likely open, but check for lingering closures.

0%Near Contained

7,257

Acres Burned

123

Days Burning

Jul 9, 2026

Discovered

2h ago

Last Update

Growth

No growth in the last day, containment at 90%
Aug 7 / 2,911 acresNov 9 / 7,257 acres

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Threatened Public Lands

12 public land units within 75 miles

Uncompahgre Wilderness

Avoid

Wilderness / CO

7.2 mi

W

Powderhorn Wilderness

Check first

Wilderness / CO

11.2 mi

E

Powderhorn Wilderness Area

Check first

Wilderness / CO

11.4 mi

E

Uncompahgre Wilderness Area

Check first

Wilderness / CO

14.4 mi

SW

Curecanti National Recreation Area

Check first

Recreation Area / CO

23.9 mi

N

La Garita Wilderness

Go

Wilderness / CO

26.9 mi

SE

Mount Sneffels Wilderness

Go

Wilderness / CO

29.3 mi

W

Molas Pass Recreation Area National Recreation Area

Go

Recreation Area / CO

31.2 mi

SW

Weminuche Wilderness

Go

Wilderness / CO

35.9 mi

S

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Go

National Park / CO

37.3 mi

NW

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Wilderness Area

Go

Wilderness / CO

38.5 mi

NW

Lizard Head Wilderness

Go

Wilderness / CO

40.9 mi

SW

Situation Updates

Posted by the incident management team on InciWeb, plus changes read from NIFC interagency perimeter data

Elk update: 7,257 acres, 90% contained

Perimeter data
Oct 1

Per interagency perimeter data, the Elk containment moved from 73% to 90%.

IRWIN

Elk update: 7,257 acres, 73% contained

Perimeter data
Sep 2

Per interagency perimeter data, the Elk containment moved from 66% to 73%.

IRWIN

Elk Fire Daily Update 09-01-2026

Incident team
Sep 1

Fire Update: Elk Fire Tuesday, September 1, 2026 – 8:00 a.m. MDT Wyoming Type 3 Incident Management Team 2 Karsten Milek IC3, Geoffery Harrison IC3(t) Size: 7,257 acres | Containment: 64% | Total Personnel : 96 | Cause: Lightning Start Date: July 9, 2026 | Location: Point of origin 7 miles NW of Lake City, CO Special Message: Lake City, we felt your support. The conversations, the coffees, the sig...

InciWeb

Elk Fire Daily Update 08-31-2026

Incident team
Aug 31

Fire Update: Elk Fire Monday, August 31, 2026 – 8:00 a.m. MDT Wyoming Type 3 Incident Management Team 2 Karsten Milek IC3, Geoffery Harrison IC3(t) Size: 7,257 acres | Containment: 66% | Total Personnel : 101 | Cause: Lightning Start Date: July 9, 2026 | Location: Point of origin 7 miles NW of Lake City, CO Special Message : Recent rainfall over burned slopes increases the risk of debris flows and...

InciWeb

Elk update: 7,257 acres, 66% contained

Perimeter data
Aug 31

Per interagency perimeter data, the Elk containment moved from 64% to 66%.

IRWIN

Elk Fire Daily Update 08-30-2026

Incident team
Aug 30

Fire Update: Elk Fire Sunday, August 30, 2026 – 8:00 a.m. MDT Wyoming Type 3 Incident Management Team 2 Karsten Milek IC3, Geoffery Harrison IC3(t) Size: 7,257 acres | Containment: 64% | Total Personnel : 104 | Cause: Lightning Start Date: July 9, 2026 | Location: Point of origin 7 miles NW of Lake City, CO Special Message : Hunting seasons opening around the Elk Fire beginning September 2nd, with...

InciWeb

Elk update: 7,257 acres, 64% contained

Perimeter data
Aug 30

Per interagency perimeter data, the Elk containment moved from 52% to 64%.

IRWIN

Elk Fire Daily Update 08-29-2026

Incident team
Aug 29

Fire Update: Elk Fire Saturday, August 29, 2026 – 8:00 a.m. MDT Wyoming Type 3 Incident Management Team 2 Karsten Milek IC3, Geoffery Harrison IC3(t) Size: 7,257 acres | Containment: 52% | Total Personnel : 105 | Cause: Lightning Start Date: July 9, 2026 | Location: Point of origin 7 miles NW of Lake City, CO Special Message : Hinsdale County and the GMUG National Forest are still in Stage 1 fire ...

InciWeb

Elk Fire Daily Update 08-28-2026

Incident team
Aug 28

Fire Update: Elk Fire Friday, August 28, 2026 – 8:00 a.m. MDT Wyoming Type 3 Incident Management Team 2 Karsten Milek IC3, Geoffery Harrison IC3(t) Email: 2026.elk@firenet.gov Size: 7,257 acres | Containment: 52% | Total Personnel: 122 | Cause: Lightning Start Date: July 9, 2026 | Location: Point of origin 7 miles NW of Lake City, CO Special Message: With Labor Day approaching, this brings more tr...

InciWeb

Elk update: 7,257 acres, 52% contained

Perimeter data
Aug 28

Per interagency perimeter data, the Elk containment moved from 46% to 52%.

IRWIN

Elk Fire Daily Update 08-27-2026

Incident team
Aug 27

Fire Update: Elk FireThursday, August 27, 2026 – 8:00 a.m. MDTWyoming Type 3 Incident Management Team 2Karsten Milek IC3, Geoffery Harrison IC3(t)Phone: 970-299-5357 (8 am – 5 pm)Email: 2026.elk@firenet.govSize: 7,257 acres | Containment: 46% | Total Personnel: 134 | Cause: Lightning Start Date: July 9, 2026 | Location: Point of origin 7 miles NW of Lake City

InciWeb

Elk Fire Daily Update 08-27-2026

Incident team
Aug 27

Fire Update: Elk Fire Thursday, August 27, 2026 – 8:00 a.m. MDT Wyoming Type 3 Incident Management Team 2 Karsten Milek IC3, Geoffery Harrison IC3(t) Phone: 970-299-5357 (8 am – 5 pm) Email: 2026.elk@firenet.gov Size: 7,257 acres | Containment: 46% | Total Personnel : 134 | Cause: Lightning Start Date: July 9, 2026 | Location: Point of origin 7 miles NW of Lake City, CO Special Message : Your kind...

InciWeb

Elk update: 7,257 acres, 46% contained

Perimeter data
Aug 27

Per interagency perimeter data, the Elk containment moved from 33% to 46%.

IRWIN

Elk Fire Daily Update 08-26-2026

Incident team
Aug 26

Fire Update: Elk Fire Wednesday, August 26, 2026 – 8:00 a.m. MDT Wyoming Type 3 Incident Management Team 2 Karsten Milek IC3, Geoffery Harrison IC3(t) Phone (public and media inquiries): 970-299-5357 Email: 2026.elk@firenet.gov Size: 7,257 acres | Containment: 33% | Total Personnel: 146 | Cause: Lightning Start Date: July 9, 2026 | Location: Point of origin 7 miles NW of Lake City, CO Special Mess...

InciWeb

Forest Closure Order 02-04-00-26-26 08-25-2026

Closure
Aug 25

Elk Fire Publication Type: Closures - 08/25/2026 - 11:00 Forest Service reduces Gold Mountain and Elk Fire closure areas (Delta, CO, August 25, 2026) — The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests have reduced previously established closure areas associated with the Gold Mountain and Elk wildfires. Updated closure boundaries went into effect August 24 at 5 p.m. and remain in pl...

InciWeb

Timeline

Jul 9Now

123 days since discovery

Other Fires in CO

2 additional active fires

Data Sources

Fire data from NIFC Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Services (WFIGS) via IRWIN. Satellite hotspots from NASA FIRMS VIIRS. Situation updates are either posted by the incident management team on InciWeb or read by us from WFIGS perimeter data, and each one says which. Air quality data from EPA AirNow. Public lands boundaries from USGS PAD-US 4.0.

IRWIN ID: 48a23460-97e0-47b3-bda1-be5b747a0b24

Important

More Than Just Parks aggregates third-party data from EPA AirNow, NOAA, NASA FIRMS, and NIFC/WFIGS. Readings can be delayed, estimated, incomplete, or wrong, and conditions on the ground change quickly. This tool is for general information only and is not a substitute for official air quality alerts, fire and evacuation orders, land manager closures, or emergency services. Verify with the managing agency and local authorities before making any travel, health, or safety decision. We make no warranty as to accuracy and accept no liability for decisions made using this information. This is not an emergency or evacuation tool. If you are near a fire, follow official evacuation orders and call 911. Terms of Service.