Five active wildfires — the Lee, Elk, Oak, Stoner Mesa and Crosho fires — have charred more than 143,000 acres, or 222 square miles, on the Western Slope in recent days.

Wildfires continue to burn in Rio Blanco County, one of which is the fifth largest in Colorado history. Greg Nieto spoke to a wildfire expert on how the crews make layers of protection around the fires.

The Lee Fire near Meeker, now the fifth largest fire in Colorado's history, is just one four major fires in western Colorado threatening homes and other structures as firefighters struggle to get containment.