Lake County Office of Emergency Management

06/21/2026

6/21 - We may see smoky skies for a few more days due to wildfires and neighboring states. There are currently no wildfires in Lake County.

If you spot an abandoned campfire, please report it and try to safely extinguish it as best you can. Thank you!

Additionally, Happy Fathers Day! Dads rule.

06/21/2026

☀️There’s a special zesty treat waiting up Mt Elbert this morning courtesy of a few of our members!
Visit our lemonade stand 🍋for a special treat (and maybe a few tips and tricks about backcountry safety!) 🥾

06/20/2026

06/18/2026

Reminder: Lake County is under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, with Very High fire danger. Winds are gusty, and fires will spread quickly and be difficult for firefighters to control.

Extra Fire personnel are in the valley this weekend to help patrol and enforce fire restrictions on public lands.

This includes Law Enforcement Officers from the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, as well as highly trained firefighting crews staged locally and ready to respond.

If you see them out there, say hi and give them a thanks, they're here to keep this place safe for all of us. Enjoy your weekend, and carry extra water incase you spot an abandoned campfire. Remember - If it's too hot to touch, it's too hot to leave. Thanks!

Check local fire restrictions here - https://lakecountyco.gov/552/Fire-Danger-Restriction-Information

06/16/2026

🚨INCIDENT UPDATE: Leadville Lake County Fire Rescue responded to a structure fire on E 7th Street this evening at approximately 7:22 PM. Firefighters contained the fire to the garage, preventing extension into the home.

No injuries reported, and both residents and pets are safe. Roads in the area will reopen later tonight once first responders have safely cleared the scene.

We ask everyone to avoid the area for the remainder of the evening to allow firefighters and investigators to continue to work safely. A formal investigation is currently underway.

Thank you to Leadville Lake County Fire Rescue, St. Vincent EMS, Leadville Police, Summit Fire EMS, Eagle River Fire, Lake County Dispatch, and all emergency responders who promptly answered the call tonight.

Leadville/Lake County Fire Rescue

06/15/2026

Very hot and dry air with strong, gusty winds will cause high fire danger for the area on Tuesday and Wednesday. The threat is mostly for Chaffee and Lake counties tomorrow. The threat expands into all of the mountainous areas and foothills for Wednesday. Do your part to minimize the start of wild fires this week.

06/09/2026

Lake County is currently in ‘HIGH’ fire danger level. Residents and visitors are encouraged to practice these principles of outdoor fire safety:

06/05/2026

Fire Danger in Lake County has risen to VERY HIGH on Friday June 5. Despite recent rain, drought stress has limited smaller fuels from retaining moisture they typically would have from the recent moisture. Fires can start and spread fast right now. Please avoid outdoor burning, and know your family's evacuation plan.

Details at lakecountyco.gov/552/Fire-Danger-Restriction-Information

05/29/2026

Hi all - we completely understand and appreciate your concern about the stage 1 fire restrictions being terminated recently. The U.S. Forest Service lifted Stage 1 fire restrictions on the Pike & San Isabel National Forests Thursday May 28. Sheriff Speckman follows the guidance of the US Forest Service science for danger levels and restrictions in the county, as ~74% of Lake County is US Forest Service land. We understand your concerns and want to reassure you that this decision is grounded in science and data, not taken lightly.

The primary trigger is 1000-hour fuel moisture, essentially how wet the large logs and heavy fuels are across our region. When that reading drops below 12%, restrictions kick in. Right now we’re above that threshold, helped by nearly 4/10” of rainfall averaged across the region over the last 10 days.

That said, a warming and drying trend began yesterday May 28. Fire danger signs are staying at HIGH, and restrictions can and will be reinstated quickly if the data warrants it.

Springtime green-up is also working in our favor right now, brush and trees are leafed out and less likely to carry fire across the landscape.

Lifting restrictions does not mean fire season is over. Our team and partner agencies are monitoring conditions daily. Please check restrictions and conditions here before heading out at the link below.

As always, please continue to be responsible with any ignition source out there. Thank you for helping keep Lake County safe, and enjoy your spring weekend!

*About 74% of Lake County is U.S. Forest Service (USFS) land. To keep things consistent, the Lake County Sheriff / Fire Warden aligns with US Forest Service restrictions. These levels are based on science, not guesswork. Experts track how dry vegetation is and monitor weather conditions like tempe....

05/29/2026

Your safety is worth preparing for. Leadville and Lake County public safety agencies recently completed two functional exercises, bringing together Dispatch, Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS, and Emergency Management to practice coordinated emergency response. This is what readiness looks like, and we're just getting started. Stay tuned as we continue building toward a regional full-scale exercise this summer.