Rio Blanco County officials lifted some mandatory evacuation and pre-evacuation orders Friday afternoon for the Elk and Lee fires burning near the Western Slope town of Meeker.

The Lee fire is now the largest burning in the state, after it more than doubled overnight Wednesday from 22,000 to 45,000 acres. Gov. Polis has declared a state of emergency. Multiple agencies are fighting the fire, with nearly 500 firefighters, 14 aircraft and 15 fire engines.

Two uncontained wildfires have charred thousands of acres and reached within a mile of the Western Slope town of Meeker, forcing evacuations as the flames jump highways and the threaten to cross

A wildfire that started in northwest Colorado on Saturday afternoon has now burned around 4,000 acres. Evacuations and closures have been put in place near two of the fires burning to the south of Meeker.

People living in Meeker are thanking fire crews as two wildfires continue to burn. Both are burning about 15 miles apart in Rio Blanco County. That's about five hours northwest of Colorado Springs.