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.

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.

The Town of Meeker is no longer under a pre-evacuation status as the state's largest wildfire continues to pose a challenge for firefighters on the ground due to hot, dry conditions in much of the western side of the state.