List of Colorado wildfires

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The location of the State of Colorado in the United States of America.

List of the largest, most destructive, and deadliest Colorado wildfires that have occurred in modern history. [1]

Contents

During the severe 2002 Colorado wildfire season that burned nearly 360,000 acres, the Hayman Fire became the largest wildfire in Colorado state history and held that title for nearly 20 years [2] [3] until the Pine Gulch Fire surpassed it in August 2020. [4] The Cameron Peak Fire became the largest wildfire in Colorado history seven weeks later, and ended up burning a total of 208,913 acres.

The 2012 Colorado forest fires broke the record for most destructive fire twice and led to declaration of a federal disaster area in June 2012. [5] The 2013 Colorado forest fires, fueled by high heat and winds [6] again broke the record for the most destructive and included what was the second largest fire (by area) in Colorado history until being surpassed by several fires in 2020. With multiple record-breaking fires, the 2020 Colorado wildfire season became the largest in the state's history after burning 665,454 acres (269,300 ha). [7]

According to CSU, wildfires in Colorado burned less than 100,000 acres (40,469 ha) per decade over the 1960s and the 1970s. For the 1980s and 1990s, the total was over 200,000 acres (80,937 ha) per decade. For the 2000s, the total was approximately 200,000 acres (80,937 ha).

Area burned per year

Starting in 2000, the National Interagency Fire Center began keeping more accurate records on the total fire acreage burned in each state, and has statistics going back to 1995. [8]

YearFiresAcresRef
19952,22432,011 [9]
19961,80046,600 [10]
19971,60516,703 [11]
19981,4288,826 [12]
19991,97833,255 [13]
20002,04376,288 [14]
20012,96645,816 [15]
20024,600619,029 [16]
20033,95743,858 [17]
20042,81435,303 [18]
20052,96941,048 [19]
20064,515214,979 [20]
20073,91426,515 [21]
20082,883149,891 [22]
20093,99174,549 [23]
20104,28980,708 [24]
20115,203176,720 [25]
2012 6,114426,403 [26]
2013 4,906222,916 [27]
20143,73323,357 [28]
20153,44226,318 [29]
20165,572122,517 [30]
20176,036111,284 [31]
20187,092467,424 [32]
20197,31853,744 [33]
2020 6,716744,120 [34]
2021 6,67956,056 [35]
2022 8,37056,403 [36]
2023 7,17540,996 [37]
10-year Average5,30370,798 [38]


List of 10 Largest Colorado wildfires

As of January 2025, the 10 largest wildfires in Colorado have been:

NameCountyAcresStart dateStructuresDeathsNotes
1. Cameron Peak Larimer 208,913August 20204696Burned over a span of 112 days. [39] [40] All deaths occurred in post-fire flood events related to the fire. Four people died in 2021, [41] and two people died in 2022 [42] from post-fire flash flood and debris flow events.
2. East Troublesome Grand, Larimer 193,812October 20205552The wildfire ran more than 100,000 acres in one day and jumped over the Continental Divide, prompting an evacuation of the entire town of Estes Park. [43]
3. Pine Gulch Mesa, Garfield 139,007July 202010Briefly became the largest wildfire in Colorado history. [44]
4. Hayman Douglas, Jefferson, Park, Teller 138,114June 20026006Held the title of the largest wildfire in Colorado for 18 years. Five deaths were firefighters died in an accident en route to the fire. [45]
5. West Fork Complex Hinsdale, Mineral 109,615June 201300*Consists of multiple wildfires that burned in close proximity. Two of the wildfires, the West Fork Fire (58,570 acres) and the Papoose Fire (49,628 acres), would be the 8th and 10th largest fires in Colorado if treated separately. [46]
6. Spring Creek Costilla, Huerfano 108,045June 20181400 [47]
7. High Park Larimer 87,415June 20122591 [48]
8. Missionary Ridge La Plata 73,000June 2002471 [49]
9. 416 La Plata 54,130June 201800 [50]
10. Bridger Las Animas 46,257June 200800Only grassland wildfire to make the Top 10. [51]

List of 10 Most Destructive Colorado wildfires

As of January 2025, the 10 most destructive wildfires in Colorado have been:

NameCountyAcresStart dateTotal StructuresDeathsNotes
1. Marshall Boulder 6,026December 20221,09121,084 homes and 7 commercial buildings were destroyed, all within a 24-hour period beginning early on December 30. [52] [53]
2. Hayman Douglas, Jefferson, Park, Teller 138,114June 20026006Held the title of the largest wildfire in Colorado for 18 years. Five deaths were firefighters died in an accident en route to the fire. [54]
3. East Troublesome Grand, Larimer 193,812October 20205552The wildfire ran more than 100,000 acres in one day and jumped over the Continental Divide, prompting an evacuation of the entire town of Estes Park. [55]
4. Black Forest El Paso 14,280June 20134892Was the most destructive fire in terms of number of homes lost until the Marshall Fire. [56]
5. Cameron Peak Larimer 208,913August 20204696Burned over a span of 112 days. [57] [58] All deaths occurred in post-fire flood events related to the fire. Four people died in 2021, [59] and two people died in 2022 [60] from post-fire flash flood and debris flow events.
6. Waldo Canyon El Paso 18,247June 20123462 [61]
7. High Park Larimer 87,415June 20122591 [62]
8. Four Mile Canyon Boulder 5,700September 20101620 [63]
9. Spring Creek Costilla, Huerfano 108,045June 20181400 [64]
10. Iron Mountain Fremont 4,439June 20021061 [65]

List of Colorado's Deadliest wildfires (5+ Deaths)

As of January 2025, these are all the wildfires that have resulted in 5 or more deaths in Colorado:

NameCountyAcresStart dateTotal StructuresDeathsNotes
1. South Canyon Garfield 2,115July 1994014All deaths were firefighters. [66]
2. Stable/Cheyenne Mountain El Paso Unknown*January 1950899*News articles state the fire grew to over 50 square miles in size, but this is very likely an exaggeration. No reliable records or sources exist. The wildfire spread rapidly with 70mph gusts and threatened the Broadmoor Hotel. [67]
3. Cameron Peak Larimer 208,913August 20204696Burned over a span of 112 days. [68] [69] All deaths occurred in post-fire flood events related to the fire. Four people died in 2021, [70] and two people died in 2022 [71] from post-fire flash flood and debris flow events.
3. Hayman Douglas, Jefferson, Park, Teller 138,114June 20026006Held the title of the largest wildfire in Colorado for 18 years. Five deaths were firefighters died in an accident en route to the fire. [72]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Colorado State Forest Service. Wildfire Policy in Transition: Where There's Smoke, There's Mirrors. Archived June 11, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ Colorado State Forest Service. Colorado Wildfires, State & Private Lands, 1978–2009. Archived June 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Colorado State Forest Service.Colorado Wildfires Broken Down By Decade (with charts). Archived June 26, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Pine Gulch fire becomes largest in Colorado history as firefighters near full containment, Colorado Sun, August 27, 2020, accessed August 28, 2020.
  5. ↑ Associated Press (June 29, 2012). Obama declares disaster in Colorado as fires burn. Fox News
  6. ↑ "Fire 30% contained, 473 homes burned". Denver Post. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  7. ↑ Ingold, John (October 20, 2020). "Five charts that show where 2020 ranks in Colorado wildfire history". Colorado Sun . Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Intelligence". National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center.
  9. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  24. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  28. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  30. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  32. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  33. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  34. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  35. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  36. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  37. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  38. ↑ "Seasonal Narrative" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  39. ↑ Nicholson, Kieran. "A total of 469 structures were destroyed or damaged by Cameron Peak fire". Denver Post. Denver Post. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  40. ↑ "Cameron Peak Fire". Coaliton for the Poudre River Watershed. Coaliton for the Poudre River Watershed. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  41. ↑ Udel, Jack. "Third Body Found". Denver Post. Denver Post. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  42. ↑ Hager, Alex. "Two killed in flash flooding west of Fort Collins". NPR News, Colorado Stories. NPR News. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  43. ↑ "East Troublesome Fire, Northern Colorado". East Troublesome Fire, Northern Colorado. National Weather Service. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  44. ↑ "Pine Gulch Fire, Western Colorado". Pine Gulch Fire, Western Colorado. National Weather Service Grand Junction. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  45. ↑ "Case Study, Hayman Fire". American Planning Association. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  46. ↑ "West Fork Fire Complex". US Forest Service. US Forest Service. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  47. ↑ "Spring Fire now officially 100 percent contained". KOAA NEWS5. KOAA. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  48. ↑ "Learn from the Burn: The High Park fire 5 years later" (PDF). US Forest Service. US Forest Service. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  49. ↑ Hannon, Aedon. "20 years later: Missionary Ridge Fire torched homes, devastated lives and taught us lessons". Durango Herald. Durango Herald. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  50. ↑ Hansen, Lindsey. "416 Fire Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Executive Summary" (PDF). San Juan National Forest. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  51. ↑ "Bridger Fire". Colorado Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  52. ↑ "Boulder County releases updated list of structures damaged and destroyed in the Marshall Fire". Boulder County. Boulder County. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  53. ↑ "Looking back at Colorado's Marshall Fire". NOAA. NOAA. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  54. ↑ "Case Study, Hayman Fire". American Planning Association. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  55. ↑ "East Troublesome Fire, Northern Colorado". East Troublesome Fire, Northern Colorado. National Weather Service. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  56. ↑ "Black Forest Fire Investigation Executive Summary 13-7655" (PDF). El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
  57. ↑ Nicholson, Kieran. "A total of 469 structures were destroyed or damaged by Cameron Peak fire". Denver Post. Denver Post. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  58. ↑ "Cameron Peak Fire". Coaliton for the Poudre River Watershed. Coaliton for the Poudre River Watershed. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  59. ↑ Udel, Jack. "Third Body Found". Denver Post. Denver Post. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  60. ↑ Hager, Alex. "Two killed in flash flooding west of Fort Collins". NPR News, Colorado Stories. NPR News. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  61. ↑ "Waldo Canyon Fire, Final After Action Report" (PDF). City of Colorado Springs. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  62. ↑ "Learn from the Burn: The High Park fire 5 years later" (PDF). US Forest Service. US Forest Service. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  63. ↑ Russell, Graham. "Fourmile Canyon Fire Findings" (PDF). USDA. USDA.
  64. ↑ "Spring Fire now officially 100 percent contained". KOAA NEWS5. KOAA. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  65. ↑ Alexander, Rachel. "Iron Mountain Fire burned hot and fast, covering 4,439 acres". Cason City Daily Record. Cason City Daily Record. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  66. ↑ "South Canyon Fire". South Canyon Fire. South Canyon Fire Committee.
  67. ↑ "Stable Fire Entrapment Fatalities 1950". Wildfire.gov. Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  68. ↑ Nicholson, Kieran. "A total of 469 structures were destroyed or damaged by Cameron Peak fire". Denver Post. Denver Post. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  69. ↑ "Cameron Peak Fire". Coaliton for the Poudre River Watershed. Coaliton for the Poudre River Watershed. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  70. ↑ Udel, Jack. "Third Body Found". Denver Post. Denver Post. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  71. ↑ Hager, Alex. "Two killed in flash flooding west of Fort Collins". NPR News, Colorado Stories. NPR News. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  72. ↑ "Case Study, Hayman Fire". American Planning Association. Retrieved January 19, 2025.

38°59′50″N105°32′52″W / 38.9972°N 105.5478°W / 38.9972; -105.5478 (State of Colorado)

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