Current Status: Colorado's Derby Wildfire Threatening Sweetwater

Sweetwater is a beautiful community on the edge of both Garfield/Eagle counties in Western Colorado. The remote areas surrounding Sweetwater and Sweetwater Lake are under threat this summer due to the Derby Wildfire.

The summer of 2025 has seen over a dozen wildfires on the Western Slope. The Derby Fire is approaching a protected area on the Western Slope, still under consideration for designation as a Colorado recreation area or even a State Park.

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Civil Authorities Issue Evacuation for Garfield County

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Colorado's Derby Fire started on August 16th out in our Flattops Wilderness, northwest of the Dotsero Wildlife Area. The arrow in the photo points to Sweetwater Lake. On August 20, Civil Authorities issued an evacuation for a portion of Garfield County designated as Zone 265. This includes Sweetwater, Sweetwater Lake, County Road 150, and portions of Colorado River Road from Sweetwater to Red Dirt Creek in both Eagle and Garfield counties. Click here to zoom in on the map below.

Inciweb.wildfire.gov

The Derby Fire and the Crosho Fire

Inciweb.wildfire.gov

Colorado's Derby Fire has burned 2624 acres so far, and is 0% contained as of August 21. As of Thursday (8/21), 117 personnel were assigned to the fire, supported by 9 engines, 5 hand crews, and 1 helicopter. Colorado's monsoon flow is making a late-season appearance; while rain is minimal, winds are intensifying, fueling fire spread.
Approximately 50 miles north of the Derby Fire, the lightning-sparked Crosho Fire is burning. As of August 21, the Crosho Fire has burned 2,072 acres and is 24% contained. This marks the third wildfire to ignite in Rio Blanco County in the past month. See a larger version of the Crosho Fire map here.

Inciweb.wildfire.gov

LOOK: 10 Tips To Prevent Wildfires

Smokey The Bear said it best, "only you can prevent wildfires." Well, it's a lot easier said than done, Smokey. Great name for a bear trying to warn us about fire hazards, by the way.

In order to prevent wildfires, you have to first know how they can be prevented. Here are 10 tips provided by the Department Of Interior that will help you in your every day life, so you can enjoy being outside, camping, and having bonfires without it turning into a problem.

Here are their 10 tips, along with some simplified explanations from me.

Gallery Credit: Cort Freeman

MORE: How to Protect Yourself from Wildfire Smoke

If you’re in Utica, Herkimer, or anywhere across the Mohawk Valley, here’s how to protect your lungs (and your sanity) on smoky days:

Gallery Credit: Unsplash/TSM

KEEP GOING: Colorado Wildfire Damage by Year, Number of Fires + Acres Burned

Colorado has seen its fair share of wildfires over the years, but the numbers really start to tell the story when you look at them year by year.

From just a few thousand acres burned in the '90s to massive jumps in the 2000s, it’s clear something has changed.

We dug into the data to see which years were the worst and how things have shifted across the state.

Gallery Credit: Tim Gray

Source: Colorado’s Derby Fire Expands: Sweetwater Residents Ordered Out

Filed Under: Colorado Wildfires, Grand Junction Outdoors

Categories: Colorado Outdoors, Colorado News