2026 Colorado wildfires
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.[1]
Colorado had one of its lowest snowpacks on record during the 2025-26 North American winter due to warm and dry conditions, particularly in the western part of the state. These conditions left Colorado more vulnerable to wildfires then usual.[2] By April, 22% of the state was facing exceptional drought conditions.[3]
List of wildfires
The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), produced significant structural damage, or resulted in casualties.
| Name | County | Acres | Start date | Containment date | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Road 89 | Morgan, Weld | 1,089 | February 17 | February 17 | [4] | |
| County Road 169 Highway 24 | Elbert, Lincoln | 5,599 | February 17 | February 18 | [5] | |
| Dahlberg | Douglas | 1,081 | February 24 | February 24 | [6] | |
| 113 | Logan | 4,000 | February 25 | February 25 | [7] | |
| Range 121 | El Paso | 1,100 | March 15 | March 16 | [8] | |
| 24 | Pueblo, Fremont, El Paso | 7,404 | March 18 | April 2 | Closed and prompted evacuations near State Highway 115. | [9] |
| Schwachheim | Las Animas | 1,582 | April 12 | April 24 | Burned southeast of Trinidad. | [10] |
| Highway 36 | Yuma | 1,000 | April 13 | April 13 | [11] | |
| Hammer | El Paso | 4,958 | April 22 | April 24 | Prompted evacuations for Hanover and closed schools in Hanover School District 28. | [12][13] |
| Poitrey Canyon | Las Animas | 2,113 | April 24 | 40% |
Human-caused. Burning 45 miles (72 km) south of La Junta. | [14][15] |
References
- ↑ "Colorado Fire Season: In-Depth Guide". wfca.com. Western Fire Chiefs Association. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
- ↑ Longwell, Ali (February 26, 2026). "Colorado considers earlier than normal activation of Drought Task Force as snowpack continues to lag behind". Aspen Times. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Despite substantial mountain snow, nearly a quarter of Colorado is now under 'exceptional drought' conditions". ABC 7 Denver. April 2, 2026. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
- ↑ "County Road 89 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
- ↑ "County Rd 169 Hwy 24 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved February 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Dahlberg Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
- ↑ "113 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
- ↑ "Range 121 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ↑ "24 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
- ↑ "Schwachheim Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
- ↑ "Highway 36 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Hammer Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ↑ Prentzel, Olivia (April 23, 2026). "Evacuation order lifted for wildfire burning southeast of Colorado Springs". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Poitrey Canyon Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
- ↑ "Poitrey Canyon Fire burning in Las Animas County burns more than 2K acres". Daily Dispatch. April 28, 2026. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
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