2020 Colorado wildfires
Series of fires in Colorado, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 665,454 acres (269,300 ha) burned, and the 3 largest fires in state history, it is Colorado's largest wildfire season on record.[4]
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.[5][6] 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 (2020 USD). 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.[3]
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 237,500 acres (96,100 ha).[7]
List of wildfires
The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), or produced significant structural damage or casualties.
| Name | County | Acres | Start date | Containment date[a] | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bent Fort | Otero | 1,500 | April 11 | April 13 | Human-caused. | [3][9] |
| PCMS Complex | Las Animas | 2,175 | May 16 | May 21 | Unknown cause. | [3][10] |
| Villegreen | Las Animas | 1,731 | May 18 | May 18 | Human-caused. | [3][11] |
| Cherry Canyon | Las Animas | 11,818 | May 20 | May 27 | Caused by lightning. | [3][12] |
| Bent Canyon | Las Animas | 1,800 | June 4 | June 11 | Caused by lightning. | [3][13] |
| Barela | Las Animas | 2,521 | June 5 | June 5 | Caused by lightning. | [3][14] |
| Sieber | Mesa | 1,094 | June 5 | June 9 | Unknown cause. | [3][15] |
| Deer Canyon | Las Animas | 3,872 | June 6 | June 20 | Caused by lightning. | [3][16] |
| Fawn Creek | Rio Blanco | 3,226 | July 13 | July 23 | Caused by lightning. | [3][17] |
| East Canyon | La Plata, Montezuma | 2,905 | June 14 | June 27 | Caused by lightning. | [3][18] |
| County Road T | Kiowa | 1,201 | June 15 | June 16 | Human-caused. | [3][19] |
| Prowers | Prowers | 1,472 | June 17 | June 17 | Human-caused. | [3][20] |
| Streeter | Moffat | 1,639 | July 7 | July 27 | Human-caused. | [3][21] |
| Sunday | Weld | 2,000 | July 19 | July 19 | Unknown cause. | [3] |
| Pine Gulch | Mesa, Garfield | 139,007 | July 31 | September 22 | Caused 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 | [3][6] |
| Grizzly Creek | Garfield, Eagle | 32,631 | August 10 | December 18 | Human-caused. 3 structures destroyed. | [3][22] |
| Cameron Peak | Larimer | 208,913 | August 13 | December 2 | Unknown cause. It is the largest wildfire in Colorado history. 469 structures destroyed, 8 structures damaged. | [3][23][24] |
| Williams Fork | Grand | 14,833 | August 14 | November 15 | Human-caused. | [3][25] |
| Deter-Winters | Adams | 2,000 | August 19 | August 19 | Unknown cause. | [3][26] |
| Shamrock | Adams | 4,200 | August 19 | August 19 | Unknown cause. | [3][27] |
| East Fork | Las Animas | 1,682 | August 22 | September 24 | Caused by lightning. Burned in two state wildlife areas. | [3][28] |
| Middle Fork | Routt, Jackson | 20,517 | September 6 | November 17 | Caused by lightning. | [3][29] |
| Mullen | Jackson, Carbon (WY), Albany (WY) | 176,878 | September 17 | December 3 | Unknown cause. The fire started in Wyoming, and crossed into Colorado on September 30. Sixty-six structures destroyed. | [3][30][31] |
| East Troublesome | Grand, Larimer | 193,812 | October 14 | November 30 | Unknown cause, 580 structures destroyed, 2 fatalities.[2] As it underwent an explosive burst of growth on October 21, the fire created a huge pyrocumulonimbus cloud that rose to about 40,000 ft (12,000 m).[32] | [3][33] |
| Calwood | Boulder | 10,106 | October 17 | November 19 | Unknown cause, 28 structures destroyed. | [3][34] |
See also
Notes
- Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out.[8]