RIO BLANCO COUNTY, Colo. — Since early August, wildfires have burned on both sides of Meeker in Rio Blanco County. West of town, the Lee Fire has grown to more than 113,000 acres, an area larger than the entire city and county of Denver.

Now the fifth-largest blaze in Colorado history, the Lee Fire ignited on Aug. 2 and has challenged crews from the outset, 9 News reported.

| WATCH: Public health at the front door: An MIH model to emulate

As firefighters battle the flames around the clock, embedded paramedics accompany them, ready to treat any crew member who gets hurt.

“You can’t let your guard down,” Eagle County Paramedic Robin Weiss, one of 12 Eagle County paramedics certified for wildland duty. Deployed to Rio Blanco County as a line medic, Weiss spends each day shadowing

See Full Page