Colorado’s Growing Wildfire Exposes Glaring Emergency Preparedness Gaps

The Lee Fire rages through Colorado’s Garfield and Rio Blanco counties, scorching over 167 square miles with only 6% containment. As gusty winds whip the flames and dry conditions persist, officials scrambled to evacuate the Rifle Correctional Center—relocating all 179 inmates nearly 150 miles away. This dramatic move highlights a disturbing truth: our emergency response systems remain dangerously reactive rather than proactive in the face of increasingly severe wildfires.How Long Will We Accept Last-Minute Evacuations Amid Growing Wildfire Threats?While no injuries or structural damage have been reported so far, the fact that a correctional facility had to be emptied on...