Penley Fire near Sedalia forces evacuations as crews battle blaze in Douglas County

A wildfire west of Sedalia has forced mandatory evacuations in Douglas County after first being reported Sunday evening.

The fire, now being called the Penley Fire, is located west of Sedalia and has prompted mandatory evacuations for residents within a two-mile radius of West Douglas Fire Station 132 at Highway 67 and North Oak Valley Road. Nearby areas have received pre-evacuation notices as of Monday morning.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office first reported the fire Sunday evening around 5:30 p.m. About 100 firefighters from 10 agencies responded as the blaze threatened roughly 12 homes in the area. Smoke from the fire was visible from the Denver metro area Sunday night.

As of Monday morning, the Penley Fire is being held at approximately three acres and is now 50% contained, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. However, firefighters are operating in steep, rugged terrain with limited access for ground crews, making containment efforts especially challenging. The Douglas County Helitack Team will be back in the air Monday to support operations. Evacuation areas remain unchanged from Sunday night.

The crews working the Penley Fire in Sedalia made good progress overnight. The fire held at approximately 3 acres and is now 50% contained.

There is still a lot of work ahead. Firefighters are operating in steep, rugged terrain with limited access for ground crews, making… pic.twitter.com/aR3pppMgpl

— DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) July 27, 2026