2024 Colorado wildfires

{{Short description|An overview of major wildfires in Colorado during the year 2024}}

{{Infobox wildfire

| title = 2024 Colorado wildfires

| image = File:Roosevelt IHC - Spruce Creek Fire 2024.jpg

| caption = The Spruce Creek Fire, which burnt 5,699 acres of land in the San Juan National Forest

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| is_season = yes

| year = 2024

| season_name = Colorado wildfires

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The 2024 Colorado wildfire season was a series of wildfires that burned in the U.S. state of Colorado during 2024.

Background

While "fire season" varies every year in Colorado, most wildfires occur in between May and September, but there is a fire risk year-round. Large wildfires have become more common mostly because of drought, high winds, and vegetation growth. Climate change has increased temperatures and decreased humidity in Colorado and sometimes reduces spring snowmelt, both of which contribute to fire conditions.{{cite web |title=Colorado Fire Season: In-Depth Guide |url=https://wfca.com/wildfire-articles/colorado-fire-season/ |website=wfca.com |publisher=Western Fire Chiefs Association |access-date=May 4, 2025}}

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that burned more than {{Convert|1000|acres}}, or produced significant structural damage or casualties.

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders mw-collapsible" style="text-align:center;"
scope="col"\|Name !scope="col"\|County !scope="col"\|Acres !scope="col"\|Start date !scope="col"\|Containment date !scope="col"\|Notes !scope="col" class="unsortable"\|Ref
scope="row"\|Range 153 \|El Paso\|\|1,816\|\|{{dts\|2024\|2\|25\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|3\|5\|format=md}}\|\|\|Human-caused about {{convert\|10\|mile}} southwest of Fountain. \|\|{{Cite web \|title=WFIGS 2024 Interagency Fire Perimeters to Date\|url=https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nifc::wfigs-2024-interagency-fire-perimeters-to-date/explore \|access-date=September 27, 2024 \|website=National Interagency Fire Center}}{{cite web \|title=Range 153 - Wildfire and Smoke Map \|url=https://data.coloradoan.com/fires/range-153/92881be7-4455-4d49-84fc-9d4ef1e0f596/ \|website=data.coloradoan.com \|publisher=The Coloradoan \|access-date=May 20, 2025}}
scope="row"\|Range 135 \|El Paso\|\|7,744\|\|{{dts\|2024\|2\|29\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|3\|5\|format=md}}\|\|\| \|\|{{Cite web \|title=WFIGS 2024 Interagency Fire Perimeters to Date\|url=https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nifc::wfigs-2024-interagency-fire-perimeters-to-date/explore \|access-date=September 27, 2024 \|website=National Interagency Fire Center}}
scope="row"\|Boggsville \|Bent\|\|1,062\|\|{{dts\|2024\|3\|2\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|3\|18\|format=md}}\|\|\|Burned about {{convert\|2\|mile}} south of Las Animas. Closed State Highway 101 and U.S. Route 50 and prompted evacuations for Las Animas. \|\|{{Cite web \|title=WFIGS 2024 Interagency Fire Perimeters to Date\|url=https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nifc::wfigs-2024-interagency-fire-perimeters-to-date/explore \|access-date=September 27, 2024 \|website=National Interagency Fire Center}}{{cite news \|last1=Whitehead \|first1=Darren \|last2=Case \|first2=Angela \|title=Bent County wildfire 80% contained; pre-evacuations lifted \|url=https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/wildfire/las-animas-fort-lyon-bent-county-wildfire-evacuations/73-0979af37-2222-4ecd-a180-bc093f424f68 \|access-date=May 8, 2025 \|work=9 News \|date=March 3, 2024}}{{cite news \|last1=Grewe \|first1=Lindsey \|title=Boggsville Fire: Fire in southeast Colorado now fully contained, no structures lost \|url=https://www.kktv.com/2024/03/05/boggsville-fire-fire-southeast-colorado-now-fully-contained-no-structures-lost/ \|access-date=May 8, 2025 \|work=KKTV 11 \|date=March 3, 2024}}
scope="row"\|Range 127 \|El Paso\|\|1,132\|\|{{dts\|2024\|4\|15\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|5\|13\|format=md}}\|\|\|Human-caused. Burned near Fort Carson. \|\|{{Cite web \|title=WFIGS 2024 Interagency Fire Perimeters to Date\|url=https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nifc::wfigs-2024-interagency-fire-perimeters-to-date/explore \|access-date=September 27, 2024 \|website=National Interagency Fire Center}}{{cite web \|title=RANGE 127 - Wildfire and Smoke Map \|url=https://data.dailyrecord.com/fires/range-127-fire/ff5b7ebc-a499-4dab-9c7a-c5fc30a2ec41/?page=1&anchor= \|website=data.dailyrecord.com \|access-date=May 20, 2025}}
scope="row"\|Spruce Creek \|Montezuma\|\|5,699\|\|{{dts\|2024\|5\|14\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|5\|31\|format=md}}\|\|\|Caused by lightning {{convert\|11\|mile}} northeast of Dolores. \|\|{{Cite web \|title=2024 Spruce Creek CO \|url=https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cosjf-2024-spruce-creek-co \|access-date=May 30, 2024 \|website=InciWeb}}{{cite web \|title=Spruce Creek Fire Update 05-28-2024 \|url=https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/cosjf-2024-spruce-creek-co/spruce-creek-fire-update-05-28-2024 \|website=InciWeb \|access-date=May 18, 2025}}
scope="row"\|Rabbit Valley \|Mesa\|\|1,505\|\|{{dts\|2024\|6\|17\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|6\|20\|format=md}}\|\|\|Burned near Utah border \|\|{{Cite web \|title=Rabbit Valley - Wildfire and Smoke Map \|url=https://data.usatoday.com/fires/rabbit-valley/312cbe26-810f-4bf3-b0fe-bb9fb272c9b9/?page=8&anchor= \|access-date=2025-05-07 \|website=USA Today}}{{cite news \|last1=Bigler \|first1=Kaigan \|title=Rabbit Valley Fire reaches 1,505 acres on Utah/Colorado border \|url=https://kutv.com/news/wildfire/rabbit-valley-fire-reaches-250-300-acres-on-coloradoutah-border \|access-date=May 18, 2025 \|work=KUTV \|date=June 17, 2024}}
scope="row"\|Oak Ridge \|Pueblo, Custer\|\|1,310\|\|{{dts\|2024\|6\|22\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|7\|24\|format=md}}\|\|\|Caused by lightning {{convert\|3\|mile}} northeast of Beulah. \|\|{{Cite web \|date=2025-05-06 \|title=Copsf Oak Ridge Fire Information \|url=https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/copsf-oak-ridge-fire \|access-date=2025-05-07 \|website=inciweb.wildfire.gov \|language=en}}
scope="row"\|104 \|Weld\|\|1,782\|\|{{dts\|2024\|7\|28\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|7\|31\|format=md}}\|\|\| \|\|{{Cite web \|title=WFIGS 2024 Interagency Fire Perimeters to Date\|url=https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nifc::wfigs-2024-interagency-fire-perimeters-to-date/explore \|access-date=September 27, 2024 \|website=National Interagency Fire Center}}
scope="row"\|Alexander Mountain \|Larimer\|\|9,668\|\|{{dts\|2024\|7\|29\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|8\|17\|format=md}}\|\|\| \|\|{{cite web \|title=Coarf Alexander Mountain Fire Information \|url=https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/coarf-alexander-mtn-fire \|website=Inciweb \|access-date=19 August 2024}}{{cite web \|title=Coarf Alexander Mtn Fire - \|url=https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/coarf-alexander-mtn-fire/alexander-mountain-fire-reaches-100-containment-08-17-2024 \|website=Inciweb \|access-date=19 August 2024}}{{Cite web \|last=Krause \|first=David \|date=2024-08-18 \|title=Alexander Mountain fire fully contained after burning for nearly 3 weeks west of Loveland \|url=https://coloradosun.com/2024/08/18/alexander-mountain-fire-contained-colorado-wildfire/ \|access-date=2024-08-21 \|website=The Colorado Sun \|language=en-US}}
scope="row"\|Stone Canyon \|Boulder\|\|1,557\|\|{{dts\|2024\|7\|30\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|8\|4\|format=md}}\|\|\|Burned outside of Lyons. Destroyed six structure and killed one person. Undetermined cause. \|\|{{cite web \|last1=Willard \|first1=Heather \|title=Stone Canyon Fire: 100% contained, evacuations lifted \|url=https://kdvr.com/news/local/stone-canyon-fire-100-contained-evacuations-lifted/ \|website=KDVR \|access-date=5 August 2024}}{{cite web \|title=Update on the Stone Canyon Fire \|url=https://bouldercounty.gov/news/update-on-the-stone-canyon-fire/ \|website=bouldercounty.gov \|access-date=May 20, 2025}}{{cite web \|title=Stone Canyon and Lakeshore Fires \|url=https://bouldercounty.gov/disasters/wildfires/stone-canyon-lake-shore-fires/ \|website=bouldercounty.gov \|access-date=May 20, 2025}}
scope="row"\|Bucktail \|Montrose\|\|7,078\|\|{{dts\|2024\|8\|1\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|8\|21\|format=md}}\|\|\|Started by a man attempting to cremate his dog. Damaged one structure. \|\|{{Cite web \|title=Bucktail Fire \| url=https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/coupd-bucktail-fire \|access-date=August 16, 2024 \|website=InciWeb}}{{cite news \|last1=Sinton \|first1=Kacie \|last2=Van de Riet \|first2=Emily \|title=Wildfire was caused by man trying to cremate his dog, affidavit says \|url=https://www.kbtx.com/2024/09/25/wildfire-was-caused-by-man-trying-cremate-his-dog-affidavit-says/ \|access-date=May 18, 2025 \|work=KBTX \|date=September 15, 2024}}
scope="row"\|Big Gulch \|Moffat\|\|1,164\|\|{{dts\|2024\|8\|7\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|8\|9\|format=md}}\|\|\|Likely caused by lightning. \|\|{{Cite web \|title=WFIGS 2024 Interagency Fire Perimeters to Date\|url=https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nifc::wfigs-2024-interagency-fire-perimeters-to-date/explore \|access-date=September 27, 2024 \|website=National Interagency Fire Center}}{{cite news \|last1=Anastasio \|first1=Jeff \|title=Big Gulch Fire in Moffat County burns over 1,00 acres as of Thursday \|url=https://www.denver7.com/news/wildfire/big-gulch-fire-in-moffat-county-burns-over-1-000-acres-as-of-thursday# \|access-date=May 20, 2025 \|work=KMGH-TV \|publisher=ABC News \|date=August 8, 2024}}
scope="row"\|Wildhorse 5 \|Weld\|\|1,200\|\|{{dts\|2024\|9\|29\|format=md}}\|\|{{dts\|2024\|10\|1\|format=md}}\|\|\|Human-caused. Burned {{convert\|10\|mile}} north of Briggsdale in Pawnee National Grassland. \|\|{{Cite web \|title=Wildhorse 5 - Wildfire and Smoke Map \|url=https://data.dailycommercial.com/fires/wildhorse-5/a4a04485-6207-4e48-bf3f-36881ca0ea47/?page=14&anchor= \|access-date=2025-05-07 \|website=Daily Commercial}}{{cite web \|title=Wildhorse 5 - Wildfire and Smoke Map \|url=https://data.thegardnernews.com/fires/wildhorse-5/a4a04485-6207-4e48-bf3f-36881ca0ea47/?page=5&anchor= \|website=data.thegardnernews.com \|access-date=May 20, 2025}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders mw-collapsible" style="text-align:center;"

scope="col"|Name

!scope="col"|County

!scope="col"|Acres

!scope="col"|Start date

!scope="col"|Containment date

!scope="col"|Notes

!scope="col" class="unsortable"|Ref

scope="row"|Range 153

|El Paso||1,816||{{dts|2024|2|25|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|3|5|format=md}}|||Human-caused about {{convert|10|mile}} southwest of Fountain. ||{{Cite web |title=WFIGS 2024 Interagency Fire Perimeters to Date|url=https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nifc::wfigs-2024-interagency-fire-perimeters-to-date/explore |access-date=September 27, 2024 |website=National Interagency Fire Center}}{{cite web |title=Range 153 - Wildfire and Smoke Map |url=https://data.coloradoan.com/fires/range-153/92881be7-4455-4d49-84fc-9d4ef1e0f596/ |website=data.coloradoan.com |publisher=The Coloradoan |access-date=May 20, 2025}}

scope="row"|Range 135

|El Paso||7,744||{{dts|2024|2|29|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|3|5|format=md}}||| ||{{Cite web |title=WFIGS 2024 Interagency Fire Perimeters to Date|url=https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nifc::wfigs-2024-interagency-fire-perimeters-to-date/explore |access-date=September 27, 2024 |website=National Interagency Fire Center}}

scope="row"|Boggsville

|Bent||1,062||{{dts|2024|3|2|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|3|18|format=md}}|||Burned about {{convert|2|mile}} south of Las Animas. Closed State Highway 101 and U.S. Route 50 and prompted evacuations for Las Animas. ||{{Cite web |title=WFIGS 2024 Interagency Fire Perimeters to Date|url=https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nifc::wfigs-2024-interagency-fire-perimeters-to-date/explore |access-date=September 27, 2024 |website=National Interagency Fire Center}}{{cite news |last1=Whitehead |first1=Darren |last2=Case |first2=Angela |title=Bent County wildfire 80% contained; pre-evacuations lifted |url=https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/wildfire/las-animas-fort-lyon-bent-county-wildfire-evacuations/73-0979af37-2222-4ecd-a180-bc093f424f68 |access-date=May 8, 2025 |work=9 News |date=March 3, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Grewe |first1=Lindsey |title=Boggsville Fire: Fire in southeast Colorado now fully contained, no structures lost |url=https://www.kktv.com/2024/03/05/boggsville-fire-fire-southeast-colorado-now-fully-contained-no-structures-lost/ |access-date=May 8, 2025 |work=KKTV 11 |date=March 3, 2024}}

scope="row"|Range 127

|El Paso||1,132||{{dts|2024|4|15|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|5|13|format=md}}|||Human-caused. Burned near Fort Carson. ||{{Cite web |title=WFIGS 2024 Interagency Fire Perimeters to Date|url=https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nifc::wfigs-2024-interagency-fire-perimeters-to-date/explore |access-date=September 27, 2024 |website=National Interagency Fire Center}}{{cite web |title=RANGE 127 - Wildfire and Smoke Map |url=https://data.dailyrecord.com/fires/range-127-fire/ff5b7ebc-a499-4dab-9c7a-c5fc30a2ec41/?page=1&anchor= |website=data.dailyrecord.com |access-date=May 20, 2025}}

scope="row"|Spruce Creek

|Montezuma||5,699||{{dts|2024|5|14|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|5|31|format=md}}|||Caused by lightning {{convert|11|mile}} northeast of Dolores. ||{{Cite web |title=2024 Spruce Creek CO |url=https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cosjf-2024-spruce-creek-co |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=InciWeb}}{{cite web |title=Spruce Creek Fire Update 05-28-2024 |url=https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/cosjf-2024-spruce-creek-co/spruce-creek-fire-update-05-28-2024 |website=InciWeb |access-date=May 18, 2025}}

scope="row"|Rabbit Valley

|Mesa||1,505||{{dts|2024|6|17|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|6|20|format=md}}|||Burned near Utah border ||{{Cite web |title=Rabbit Valley - Wildfire and Smoke Map |url=https://data.usatoday.com/fires/rabbit-valley/312cbe26-810f-4bf3-b0fe-bb9fb272c9b9/?page=8&anchor= |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=USA Today}}{{cite news |last1=Bigler |first1=Kaigan |title=Rabbit Valley Fire reaches 1,505 acres on Utah/Colorado border |url=https://kutv.com/news/wildfire/rabbit-valley-fire-reaches-250-300-acres-on-coloradoutah-border |access-date=May 18, 2025 |work=KUTV |date=June 17, 2024}}

scope="row"|Oak Ridge

|Pueblo, Custer||1,310||{{dts|2024|6|22|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|7|24|format=md}}|||Caused by lightning {{convert|3|mile}} northeast of Beulah. ||{{Cite web |date=2025-05-06 |title=Copsf Oak Ridge Fire Information |url=https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/copsf-oak-ridge-fire |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=inciweb.wildfire.gov |language=en}}

scope="row"|104

|Weld||1,782||{{dts|2024|7|28|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|7|31|format=md}}||| ||{{Cite web |title=WFIGS 2024 Interagency Fire Perimeters to Date|url=https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nifc::wfigs-2024-interagency-fire-perimeters-to-date/explore |access-date=September 27, 2024 |website=National Interagency Fire Center}}

scope="row"|Alexander Mountain

|Larimer||9,668||{{dts|2024|7|29|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|8|17|format=md}}||| ||{{cite web |title=Coarf Alexander Mountain Fire Information |url=https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/coarf-alexander-mtn-fire |website=Inciweb |access-date=19 August 2024}}{{cite web |title=Coarf Alexander Mtn Fire - |url=https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/coarf-alexander-mtn-fire/alexander-mountain-fire-reaches-100-containment-08-17-2024 |website=Inciweb |access-date=19 August 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Krause |first=David |date=2024-08-18 |title=Alexander Mountain fire fully contained after burning for nearly 3 weeks west of Loveland |url=https://coloradosun.com/2024/08/18/alexander-mountain-fire-contained-colorado-wildfire/ |access-date=2024-08-21 |website=The Colorado Sun |language=en-US}}

scope="row"|Stone Canyon

|Boulder||1,557||{{dts|2024|7|30|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|8|4|format=md}}|||Burned outside of Lyons. Destroyed six structure and killed one person. Undetermined cause. ||{{cite web |last1=Willard |first1=Heather |title=Stone Canyon Fire: 100% contained, evacuations lifted |url=https://kdvr.com/news/local/stone-canyon-fire-100-contained-evacuations-lifted/ |website=KDVR |access-date=5 August 2024}}{{cite web |title=Update on the Stone Canyon Fire |url=https://bouldercounty.gov/news/update-on-the-stone-canyon-fire/ |website=bouldercounty.gov |access-date=May 20, 2025}}{{cite web |title=Stone Canyon and Lakeshore Fires |url=https://bouldercounty.gov/disasters/wildfires/stone-canyon-lake-shore-fires/ |website=bouldercounty.gov |access-date=May 20, 2025}}

scope="row"|Bucktail

|Montrose||7,078||{{dts|2024|8|1|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|8|21|format=md}}|||Started by a man attempting to cremate his dog. Damaged one structure. ||{{Cite web |title=Bucktail Fire | url=https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/coupd-bucktail-fire |access-date=August 16, 2024 |website=InciWeb}}{{cite news |last1=Sinton |first1=Kacie |last2=Van de Riet |first2=Emily |title=Wildfire was caused by man trying to cremate his dog, affidavit says |url=https://www.kbtx.com/2024/09/25/wildfire-was-caused-by-man-trying-cremate-his-dog-affidavit-says/ |access-date=May 18, 2025 |work=KBTX |date=September 15, 2024}}

scope="row"|Big Gulch

|Moffat||1,164||{{dts|2024|8|7|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|8|9|format=md}}|||Likely caused by lightning. ||{{Cite web |title=WFIGS 2024 Interagency Fire Perimeters to Date|url=https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nifc::wfigs-2024-interagency-fire-perimeters-to-date/explore |access-date=September 27, 2024 |website=National Interagency Fire Center}}{{cite news |last1=Anastasio |first1=Jeff |title=Big Gulch Fire in Moffat County burns over 1,00 acres as of Thursday |url=https://www.denver7.com/news/wildfire/big-gulch-fire-in-moffat-county-burns-over-1-000-acres-as-of-thursday# |access-date=May 20, 2025 |work=KMGH-TV |publisher=ABC News |date=August 8, 2024}}

scope="row"|Wildhorse 5

|Weld||1,200||{{dts|2024|9|29|format=md}}||{{dts|2024|10|1|format=md}}|||Human-caused. Burned {{convert|10|mile}} north of Briggsdale in Pawnee National Grassland. ||{{Cite web |title=Wildhorse 5 - Wildfire and Smoke Map |url=https://data.dailycommercial.com/fires/wildhorse-5/a4a04485-6207-4e48-bf3f-36881ca0ea47/?page=14&anchor= |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=Daily Commercial}}{{cite web |title=Wildhorse 5 - Wildfire and Smoke Map |url=https://data.thegardnernews.com/fires/wildhorse-5/a4a04485-6207-4e48-bf3f-36881ca0ea47/?page=5&anchor= |website=data.thegardnernews.com |access-date=May 20, 2025}}

{{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=350|frame-height=300|from=2024 United States wildfires.map|frame-latitude=39.18|frame-longitude=-105.8|zoom=6|text=Perimeters of 2024 Colorado wildfires (map data)}}

References

Colorado

Category:Lists of wildfires in the United States

Category:Wildfires in Colorado

2024 Colorado wildfires

Background

List of wildfires

See also

References