RIO BLANCO COUNTY, Colo. — The Rio Blanco County Sheriff's Office has issued a mandatory evacuation due to the Lee Fire. Zone 63 on the south side of the fire is now under a "GO" status, meaning residents should evacuate immediately. As of Wednesday afternoon, areas south and west of Meeker are also under evacuation orders due to the Lee Fire.

New mandatory evacuations were ordered in the Lee fire late Friday night and early Saturday morning as the blaze grew nearly 30,000 acres on Colorado’s Western Slope near 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.