Gov. Jared Polis verbally declared a disaster emergency Sunday for a wildfire burning in northwest Colorado.

The Ranch at Coulter Creek fire sparked near a Carbondale subdivision Sunday morning, north of Panorama Drive, and prompted mandatory evacuations, fire officials said.

As fire conditions in northwest Colorado approach near-record levels, Gov. Jared Polis on Sunday issued a disaster declaration to support emergency response efforts for the Elk Creek Fire in Rio Blanco County.