2020 Colorado wildfires


The 2020 Colorado wildfire season was a series of significant wildfires that burned throughout the U.S. state of Colorado as part of the 2020 Western United States wildfire season. With a total of burned, and the 3 largest fires in state history, it is Colorado's largest wildfire season on record.
During this season, the Cameron Peak Fire burned 208,913 acres, making it the largest wildfire recorded in the state of Colorado after it surpassed the Pine Gulch Fire, which earned the title seven weeks prior. Also surpassing the Pine Gulch Fire in size was the East Troublesome Fire, which, when fully contained on November 30, had burned a total of 193,812 acres. In total, the suppression costs for the fires during the 2020 season amounted to at least $266 million. Throughout the year thousands of people were forced to evacuate, including the whole town of Estes Park during the East Troublesome fire. Air quality was poor as well through much of the fire season, especially during the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires.

Background

While "fire season" varies every year based on different weather conditions, most wildfires occur between May and September with a fire risk year-round with an increasing danger during winter. Drought and decreasing snowpack levels and lowering snowmelt and runoff increase fire risk. These conditions, along with increased temperatures and decreased humidity, are becoming more common from climate change. Vegetation growth provides an ample fuel for fires. From 2011 to 2020, Colorado experiences an average of 5,618 wildfires each year that collectively burn about.

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than, or produced significant structural damage or casualties.
NameCountyAcresStart dateContainment dateNotesRef
Bent FortOtero1,500April 11April 13Human-caused.
PCMS ComplexLas Animas2,175May 16May 21Unknown cause.
VillegreenLas Animas1,731May 18May 18Human-caused.
Cherry CanyonLas Animas11,818May 20May 27Caused by lightning.
Bent CanyonLas Animas1,800June 4June 11Caused by lightning.
BarelaLas Animas2,521June 5June 5Caused by lightning.
SieberMesa1,094June 5June 9Unknown cause.
Deer CanyonLas Animas3,872June 6June 20Caused by lightning.
Fawn CreekRio Blanco3,226July 13July 23Caused by lightning.
East CanyonLa Plata, Montezuma2,905June 14June 27Caused by lightning.
County Road TKiowa1,201June 15June 16Human-caused.
ProwersProwers1,472June 17June 17Human-caused.
StreeterMoffat1,639July 7July 27Human-caused.
SundayWeld2,000July 19July 19Unknown cause.
Pine GulchMesa, Garfield139,007July 31September 22Caused by lightning. It was the largest wildfire in Colorado history until it was surpassed by the Cameron Peak Fire seven weeks later. 6 structures destroyed
Grizzly CreekGarfield, Eagle32,631August 10December 18Human-caused. 3 structures destroyed.
Cameron PeakLarimer208,913August 13December 2Unknown cause. It is the largest wildfire in Colorado history. 469 structures destroyed, 8 structures damaged.
Williams ForkGrand14,833August 14November 15Human-caused.
Deter-WintersAdams2,000August 19August 19Unknown cause.
ShamrockAdams4,200August 19August 19Unknown cause.
East ForkLas Animas1,682August 22September 24Caused by lightning. Burned in two state wildlife areas.
Middle ForkRoutt, Jackson20,517September 6November 17Caused by lightning.
MullenJackson, Carbon, Albany September 17December 3Unknown cause. The fire started in Wyoming, and crossed into Colorado on September 30. Sixty-six structures destroyed.
East TroublesomeGrand, Larimer193,812October 14November 30Unknown cause, 580 structures destroyed, 2 fatalities. As it underwent an explosive burst of growth on October 21, the fire created a huge pyrocumulonimbus cloud that rose to about.
CalwoodBoulder10,106October 17November 19Unknown cause, 28 structures destroyed.