HOTCHKISS, Colo. (KJCT) — Firefighters from across Delta County and beyond are battling the fast-growing Leroux Fire, which erupted August 3 near Hotchkiss. As of 5:30 p.m. on August 4, the blaze had consumed 700 acres and remained 0% contained.
Evacuations in Effect
Delta County officials have issued mandatory evacuations for residents living off 3100 Road north of the Oak Mesa Road intersection. Authorities are urging affected residents to leave immediately and stay informed through local alerts.
Cause: Lightning Strike
According to John Wroblewski, Fire Mitigation Education Specialist for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Southwest District, the fire was caused by a lightning strike, a common ignition source in Colorado’s hot and dry summers.
Multi-Agency Response
Crews from Hotchkiss, Paonia, and Crawford have joined forces with federal personnel from the BLM and U.S. Forest Service to tackle the blaze. Local volunteers are also stepping in to help contain the fire’s advance.
“To combat this fire, we just have ground resources right now actually being engaged — structure protection, walking the fire’s edge — and also air resources,” Wroblewski said.
Steep Terrain and Harsh Conditions
Firefighters are battling not only flames, but also punishing terrain and intense weather.
“Every fire presents very unique challenges in its own manner,” said Wroblewski. “The weather conditions always provide a huge challenge — just hot, dry, windy — the southwest-facing slope, steep slopes. All the above always provide some challenges.”
Despite these conditions, Wroblewski expressed confidence in the crews’ efforts:
“With the resources on scene and what we have, we’ll get a handle on it.”
Air and Ground Tactics
Firefighters are combining ground-based suppression tactics—such as establishing fire lines and protecting structures—with aerial support, including retardant drops, to slow the fire’s spread. The rugged topography of the region, combined with strong winds, has made firefighting efforts more complex.
