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Derby fire prompts evacuation notice as wildfire grows over 800 acres in Eagle County

By August 20, 2025 | updated 3 months ago

Derby fire in White River NF

The Derby fire in the White River National Forest north of Dotsero, Colorado has burned around 245 acres as of Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025.



Courtesy, National Forest Service


New evacuations take effect at noon Wednesday for areas near the Derby fire burning in Eagle County, about 15 miles north of Dotsero, Colorado.

The Derby Fire was ignited by lightning on an extremely steep cliff face in a remote area near the Flat Tops Wilderness on Saturday evening. 

The fire was previously thought to have started Monday afternoon, and by 5 p.m., was estimated to be about 25 acres.

According to the forest service, initial attack efforts by smokejumpers on Sunday were hindered by rollout of burning material, repeatedly igniting the slope below the main fire.

As of 8:15 p.m., Tuesday, the fire had grown to at least 245 acres. 

As of 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, the fire had grown to 839 acres and 0% contained. 

The forest service said 80 total personnel are working the fire, including six Engines, one helicopter and two hand crews.

According to the forest service, the fire is burning in a difficult-to-access area of the White River National Forest.

Flyover of Derby fire in Eagle County

A propeller plane flies over the Derby fire in Eagle County, Colorado Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025.



Courtesy, United States Forest Service, Facebook


The White River National Forest issued a public closure for firefighter and public safety in Eagle and Garfield counties in the vicinity of the Derby Fire Tuesday night, according to the National Forest Service.

The closure is within the Blanco and Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger Districts, starting north of Sweetwater Lake, following the Forest boundary north and east to the intersection of the Derby Loop Road (Eagle County Road 39); following Middle Derby Creek generally northwest to Island Lakes; then, generally south following the Island Lakes Trail, the W Mountain Trail, the Turret-Crescent Trail  and the Turret Creek Trail back to Sweetwater Lake.

Eagle County issued an evacuation notice that residents of Sweetwater Rd and areas of the Colorado River Rd from Sweetwater to Red Dirt Creek had to be out of their homes by 12 p.m. Derby Mesa Loop remained in pre-evacuation status.

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Courtesy, National Forest Service

The forest service said no structures are immediately threatened, however, Eagle County has issued a pre-evacuation notice as a precaution. The pre-evacuation notice and other information about the Derby Fire is available at www.ecemergency.org.

An evacuation center will be staffed for information and resources by 7:30 a.m., at the Two Rivers Community Center at 80 Lake Shore Drive in Dotsero.

Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3 has assumed command of the fire.

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Courtesy, National Forest Service

According to the forest service, several consecutive days of hot and dry weather with very low relative humidity levels have made fuels across Colorado very receptive. Late Wednesday, a forecasted incoming monsoonal front may produce erratic outflow winds, increasing rates of spread in the subalpine fir and lodgepole pine forest.

(Contact Denver Gazette Digital Strategist Jonathan Ingraham at jonathan.ingraham@denvergazette.com or on X at @Skingraham.)

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Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The Derby fire in the White River National Forest north of Dotsero, Colorado has burned around 245 acres as of Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Courtesy, National Forest Service The Derby fire, spanning across land in both Eagle and Garfield counties and located about 13 miles […]
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