The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office issued new pre-evacuation orders for parts of northern Garfield County on Saturday morning after winds shifted the Lee Fire burning in the Meeker area southwest.
Those pre-evacuation orders apply to residents living in areas west of Highway 13. Current evacuation maps are available online.
The fire, which grew by 30,000 acres on Friday night, has created hazy skies and worsening air quality throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. According to the Watch Duty fire monitoring app, the Air Quality Index near Carbondale on Saturday morning was rated 159.
At that level, the American Lung Association advises children and people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma, to avoid strenuous outdoor activity. The guidelines also recommend everyone else to limit prolonged outdoor exertion.