Elk Fire

Hinsdale County, Colorado · Wildfire

Active Official numbers updated Sep 1, 2026 (about 12 hours ago)
First reported about 8 weeks ago
Metric Now
Size
7,257 acres
Sep 2, 5:00 AM
−24 acres
was 7,281 acres · Aug 19, 7:01 PM
Containment
73%
Sep 2, 5:00 AM
+7 percent
was 66% · Sep 1, 5:00 PM
Crew size
73
Sep 2, 5:00 AM
−23
was 96 · Sep 1, 5:00 PM
Money spent
$28.6M
Sep 2, 5:00 AM
+$201,803
was $28.4M · Sep 1, 5:00 PM

Elk Fire and other nearby fires

🔥 Where this fire started Mostly contained Partly contained Containment not reported

Drag or zoom the map to see more fires in the area.

Elk Fire summary

The Elk Fire is a wildfire near Hinsdale County, Colorado. It has burned about 7,257 acres (about 5,000 football fields). Crews have boxed in 73% of its edge; the other 27% isn't contained yet. It was first reported about 8 weeks ago. About 73 people are on it, run by a Type 3 Team. We're also tracking 2 other active fires within about 75 miles.

Size
7,257 acres
Containment
73%
Discovered
July 9, 2026 (first reported about 8 weeks ago)
Cause
Not reported

The size and containment above are current as of Wednesday, September 2nd at 5:00 a.m. CDT.

Weather & fire-spread conditions

No Red Flag Warning. The National Weather Service hasn't flagged this area for dangerous fire-spread conditions right now.

Hot, dry, and windy weather can help a fire grow; cool, calm, or wet weather helps crews. The tags below rate each day for fire spread — green is calm, red can push a fire.

A general fire-weather guide (wind matters most, then how dry it is, then heat), not a prediction of what this fire will do.

Overnight

40°F · Mostly Clear

Wind 10 mph SW · 1% chance of rain

Wind: Breezy Heat: Cool Dry

Wednesday

58°F · Mostly Sunny

Wind 10 to 15 mph SW · 8% chance of rain

Wind: Breezy Heat: Cool Dry

Wednesday Night

42°F · Partly Cloudy

Wind 10 to 15 mph SW · 11% chance of rain

Wind: Breezy Heat: Cool Dry

Thursday

60°F · Sunny

Wind 10 mph SW · 4% chance of rain

Wind: Breezy Heat: Cool Dry

Thursday Night

42°F · Mostly Clear

Wind 10 to 15 mph SSW · 7% chance of rain

Wind: Breezy Heat: Cool Dry

Forecast from the National Weather Service (weather.gov), pulled Wednesday, September 2nd at 5:00 a.m. CDT.

Who's on it

About 73 people are assigned to this fire, run by a Type 3 Team. The government rates it a Type 3 Incident. About $29 million has been spent on it so far.

The official feed reports the total headcount, not a breakdown by crew type.

Where to get live updates

We show the daily official picture. For minute-by-minute updates, evacuation orders, and maps, these do it best:

Nearby fires to Elk Fire

Within about 75 miles we're tracking 2 other active fires, closest first:

See all active fires in Colorado →

A wildland firefighter in a white helmet and yellow shirt sits on a grassy slope above a forested mountain valley

The guy who wrote this site, on a break. Summer 2026.

Wildland firefighting is a great job for the right person.

No college. No experience needed. You learn on the job.

Who fits:

$54,000
a full 6-month season, with overtime
109
jobs open across the country right now
11
open to total beginners

Jobs in all 50 states, most of them out West. Most crews hire in fall and winter for the next summer. Colorado has 37 open right now, 4 for beginners. See them.

Know someone who fits?

Send them a link to woodlandfirefighter.com. It explains the job and how to get hired.

Want to talk to a real wildland firefighter?

I spent summer 2026 on a Forest Service crew in Montana. Happy to answer any questions. 30-minute call, $37.

Book a 30-minute call

Drop your email. Get the free guide.

Inside: the pay breakdown, a resume template, a training plan for the fitness (pack) test, and the hiring timeline.

100% free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.