The Town of Meeker is no longer under a pre-evacuation status as the state's largest wildfire continues to pose a challenge for firefighters on the ground due to hot, dry conditions in much of the western side of the state.

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 Rio Blanco County Sheriff's Office announced during the day that they have downgraded the evacuation status for Meeker. It had been on the "set" level (be prepared to leave), but now it is in the less urgent "ready" level. Also, some people who were on evacuation orders around Meeker have been allowed back into their homes.

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

Neighbors are helping neighbors, and ranchers are helping other ranchers to evacuate livestock, especially southwest of Meeker, as the Lee Fire grew to an estimated 58,700 acres by Thursday evening. “We need all the

MEEKER, Colo. — The Rio Blanco County Sheriff's Office in western Colorado has issued evacuation orders for two wildfires burning in the area. One fire, named the Elk Fire, has burned about 3,000 acres in the Oak Ridge area about 10 miles east of Meeker, the Bureau of Land Management said. It's burning on BLM, state and private lands.

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.