Overview
There is an active wildfire in Huerfano County South and West of Big Sheep Mountain near County Road 531. Multiple Fire Protection Districts and the Huerfano County Fire Protection District are responding.
No evacuations have been ordered at this time. The pre-evacuation notice has been lifted.
This page will only be updated if there is a significant change.
Register for HCNotify alerts at https://huerfano.us/hcnotify-sign-up/
July 6, 2026 Update
At 6AM this morning the State Incident Management Team returned the Big Sheep (aka Sheep Head) Fire to local control. The fire is 100% contained and the last measurement of the size of the fire was 1,322 acres.
This will be the last planned update for the Big Sheep Fire. Updates will only be posted if there is a significant change.
July 5, 2026 Update
Please see the links below for the State Incident Management Team’s Big Sheep (AKA Sheep Head) Fire morning update. One is an updated map of the fire and the other is their Daily Update.
July 5, 2026 Big Sheep Daily Update
The Pre-Evacuation Notice for Big Sheep Fire south of Highway 69 in Huerfano County has been lifted.
July 4, 2026 Update
Please see the below two links for the State Incident Management Team’s Big Sheep (AKA Sheep Head) Fire morning update. One is an updated map of the fire and the other is their Daily Update.
July 4, 2026 Big Sheep Daily Update
July 3, 2026 10:30AM Update
Please see the below two links for the State Incident Management Team’s Big Sheep (AKA Sheep Head) Fire morning update. One is an updated map of the fire and the other is their Daily Update.
July 3, 2026 Big Sheep Daily Update
The next planned update will be tomorrow morning.
July 2, 2026, 9PM Update
Big Sheep Fire grew to 1281 acres today as a result of controlled burn operations and remains at 50% containment. Due to ongoing Red Flag Warning weather conditions, the Pre-Evacuation Notice will remain in effect. The next update will be after 8AM tomorrow.
July 2, 2026, 11AM Update
Big Sheep Fire operations continue today; the fire remains at 50% containment and 1153 acres. A Colorado State Incident Management Team (IMT) will be taking over operations today and the public messaging cadence may be adjusted based on direction from the IMT. Given relative humidity and Red Flag Warning weather conditions today, the Pre-Evacuation Notice will remain in effect.
July 1, 2026 – 8PM Update
Big Sheep Fire containment remains at 50% due to controlled burnout operations designed to prevent larger expansion. Overall size is 1153 acres. The pre-evacuation notice will remain in effect given the possibility of changing conditions and will be re-evaluated again at the end of daily operations tomorrow. San Isabel Electric has confirmed that all meters impacted by the Big Sheep Fire have been restored to active service. The next planned update will be 10AM Thursday, 7/2.
July 1, 2026 – 11AM Update
Incident Command of the Big Sheep Fire has been released from the La Veta Fire Protection District to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. Local units will continue to provide assistance with support from Huerfano County Emergency Management and the Huerfano County Sheriff’s Office.
There are still a few meters without power. San Isabel Electric is working to restore service as soon as possible today. The focus of today’s operations is on two primary hotspots as well as minimizing additional flare-ups. The pre-evacuation notice will be re-evaluated after operations today.
The Board of County Commissioners, Elected Officials and Staff of Huerfano County would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all of the volunteers and crews from local, state, and federal agencies who have worked around the clock on the Big Sheep Fire and other wildfires in the region over the last several weeks. Some of these volunteers and crews have come from as far as Boise, Idaho. Your dedication to all of our communities and public service are deeply appreciated!
The next planned update for the Big Sheep Fire will be later this afternoon.
June 30, 2026 – 8PM Update
Fire operations utilizing local, state, and federal resources have achieved 50% containment on the Big Sheep Fire, and will monitor hot spots and flare ups overnight and tomorrow.
At this time the pre-evacuation notice does remain in effect through the end of day tomorrow, unless the situation improves. There are a few residences still without power. San Isabel Electric Association and Incident Command are working to restore power once it is safe to do so.
No structures have been lost and the overall size of the fire is roughly 1100 acres. The next planned update will be around 9AM tomorrow morning.
June 30, 2026 – 2PM Update
June 30, 2026 – 9AM Update
The Big Sheep fire expanded up to 1000 acres, with 30% containment. Overnight burnout operations were successful at directing the course of the fire. Additional resources are en route to work on hot spots and increased containment. No evacuation notices have been issued. However, the pre-evacuation notice does currently remain in effect but will be re-evaluated after 12 Noon today. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Huerfano County would like to thank La Veta Fire, Huerfano Fire, Upper Huerfano Fire, Costilla County, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, and the federal Bureau of Land Management for their efforts on scene. We are also grateful for law enforcement personnel from the Sheriff’s Office and Walsenburg Police Department who are providing direct communication with impacted residents and scene security.
June 29, 2026 – 10PM Update
At this time, no evacuation notices have been issued and no evacuation notices are anticipated overnight.
The pre-evacuation notice remains in effect out of an abundance of caution and was sent to a larger area than where any potential evacuations would occur; as far west as CR 562, east to Farisita (CR 540 & CR 546), and north to Highway 69. If an evacuation were ordered, a formal map would be shared.
Fire containment, suppression, and monitoring activities are continuing overnight. An update is planned for Tuesday morning barring any urgent changes. Huerfano County Emergency Management will continue to monitor the fire and will issue a Reverse 911 alert via HCNotify and update the County website and social media.
Register for HCNotify alerts at https://huerfano.us/hcnotify-sign-up/
If you are in the impacted area and see spreading flames or spot fires overnight, please call 911 to inform Dispatch.
June 29, 2026 – 8PM Update
Pre-Evacuation Notice
This is a pre-evacuation notice for areas north of the Big Sheep Fire to Highway 69 exposed to the smoke. Please prepare essential items at this time and ensure your emergency kits are in or near your primary vehicle. Include the 6 Ps: People/Pets, Papers (documents), Prescriptions, Pictures, Personal Computers, and Plastic/Cash. Responders are actively engaging with the fire and working on containment. Additional notices will be sent if an evacuation is ordered.
The current estimate for the size of the fire is 315-340 acres.