Meeker native and restaurant owner Bobby Gutierrez had a chance Thursday to join a friend who is a utility line locator on a drive down Colorado Highway 13, which is closed south of town, and to take photos of the damage done by what’s known as the Lee Fire.

“It’s kind of eerie with fire on both sides, (land) burned on both sides, some (trees) still smoldering, power poles burned in half, still flaming, smoking, (fire) crews set up at individual houses and properties down along the way on the highway,” said Gutierrez.

Gutierrez posted photos on Facebook of the damage done by what as of Friday had become the eighth-largest wildfire in state history, at nearly 61,000 acres in size. That’s according to historical data maintained by the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control.

The Le

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