RIFLE, Colo. — A community of 11,000 is moving cautiously Monday evening, as smoke from two wildfires finds its way to Rifle.
The Elk and Lee fires have burned thousands of acres along Colorado's Western Slope. The Lee Fire has burned more than 113,000 acres, making it the fifth-largest wildfire in Colorado's history.
Scripps News Denver spent the day in Rifle, hearing the community's concerns as the smoky skies bring burning eyes, noses and throats. Along 3rd Street is where we met Missy Anderson.
"I get out because I don't like staying cooped up," she told Scripps News Denver while riding along the sidewalks in her motorized wheelchair.
Anderson can't drive, and that has her worried about what she'd do if evacuation recommendations made their way to her home. However, Missy knows her community will look out for her.
"I have more than 10 eyeballs watching me, making sure I'm okay," she said.
Anderson had a go-bag already packed and invited Scripps News Denver over to her home to check it out.
"This one that's multicolored, that has towels in it," she said while lifting up one suitcase. "This big, black one has all my CPAP stuff."
Back downtown, donations have poured in at the Moose Lodge. Administrator Lloyd Finley said they started collecting food and clothes for people on Friday.
"That was all really done by Facebook," Finley said. "And then around here, in small communities, it's on the phone right away. They start talking fast."
Finley said they're still accepting donations.
"[The community] is very tight, close-knit. Most of everybody knows everybody," he said.
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