2025 Colorado wildfires


The 2025 Colorado wildfires were a series of wildfires that burned in the U.S. state of Colorado.

Background

While "fire season" varies every year in Colorado, most wildfires occur in between May and September. However, there is an increasing fire danger in winter months. Fire conditions can be exacerbated by drought, strong winds, and vegetation growth. Climate change is leading to increased temperatures, lower humidity levels, and drought conditions are happening more often. Additionally, warmer temperatures and less precipitation can result in less snowmelt, further contributing to bad wildfire conditions.

Summary

At the start of the 2025 fire season, Colorado officials forecasted a mixed to above-normal fire risk, with expectation of around 6,000 wildfires burning approximately 160,000 acres in an average year.
By mid-summer, extreme drought and heat across western Colorado had fueled rapid fire growth. The Lee Fire, ignited by lightning on August 2 near Meeker, surged to over 100,000 acres within a week, becoming one of the largest in state history. In parallel, the Elk Fire, also in the Meeker area, burned over 14,000 acres before reaching full containment.
Other significant fires included the South Rim Fire in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Forest, started July 10 by lightning, which burned 4,232 acres and destroyed several visitor structures before reaching full containment on September 18.
Across the Western Slope, multiple lightning-caused blazes consumed tens of thousands of additional acres, straining suppression resources.
Smoke from the fires has degraded air quality across much of the state, prompting health advisories and complicating firefighting efforts.

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than, produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties.
NameCountyAcresStart dateContainment dateNotesRef.
AndrixBaca1,93410 3 202510 3 2025Cost $35,000 in suppression efforts. Burned east of Kim.
MeridianEl Paso2,54013 3 202516 3 2025Destroyed one structure and prompted evacuations east of Colorado Springs.
Iron LadiesWeld1,50017 3 202518 3 2025 west of Grover in Pawnee National Grassland.
31 North & SouthOtero3,40018 3 202518 3 2025
US 160Las Animas2,2707 4 20257 4 2025
South RimMontrose4,23210 7 2025September 11Lightning-caused. Burning in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
SowbellyDelta, Mesa, Montrose227410 7 2025August 1Lightning-caused. Burned in the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area.
Turner GulchMesa31,69510 7 2025September 2Lightning-caused. Burned near Gateway.
Stoner MesaMontezuma, Dolores10,24928 7 20253 12 2025Lightning-caused.
LeeRio [Blanco County, Colorado|Rio Blanco]137,75802 8 202518 9 2025Lightning-caused. Started 18 miles southwest of Meeker.
Elk RBXRio Blanco14,51802 8 2025August 16Lightning-caused. Started 10 miles east of Meeker.
TwelveMoffat4,2876 8 202522 8 2025Human-caused. Burned northeast of Elk Springs.
CroshoRio Blanco, Routt2,07311 8 2025Undetermined cause.
DerbyEagle5,45317 8 202511.12.2025Lightning-caused. Burned north of Dotsero. Destroyed one structure.
Large ImpactEl Paso5,5006 11 2025Human-caused. Burned near Fort Carson.
County Road LYuma2,00017.12.202518.12.2025Caused power outages along with the County Road 33 Fire.
County Road 33Yuma14,05017.12.202519.12.2025Burned south of Eckley. Caused power outages along with the County Road L Fire.