2021 Colorado wildfires
| 2021 Colorado wildfires | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | 337 |
| Total area | 42,202 acres (17,079 ha) |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 4[1][2] |
| Injuries | 6 |
| Structures destroyed | 1,102 |
| Cost | >$513 million (2021 USD)[2] |
← 2020
2022 → | |
The 2021 Colorado wildfire season was a series of wildfires that burned throughout the U.S. state of Colorado. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, as of July 1, 2021, at least 32,860 acres (13,300 ha) of land had burned in at least 337 wildland fires across the state.[3][4] Hundreds of homes were burned, and the cities of Louisville and Superior were evacuated, during the Boulder County fires in late December.[5]
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).[6]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lyon | Bent | 1,433 | January 15 | January 16 | [8] | |
| Oil Springs | Rio Blanco | 12,613 | June 18 | July 10 | Lightning-caused | [9] |
| West | Moffat, Sweetwater (WY) | 3,429 | June 20 | July 1 | Lightning-caused | [10] |
| Muddy Slide | Routt | 4,093 | June 20 | September 14 | Lightning-caused; 18 structures destroyed | [11][12] |
| Sylvan | Eagle | 3,792 | June 20 | October 14 | Lightning-caused | [13][14] |
| Morgan Creek | Routt | 7,586 | July 10 | October 14 | Lightning-caused | [15] |
| Bijou | Morgan | 3,083 | August 27 | August 28 | Lightning-caused | [16] |
| Kruger Rock | Larimer | 147 | November 16 | November 20 | Sparked by winds blowing a tree onto a nearby powerline; 1 firefighter fatality | [17][1] |
| Marshall Fire | Boulder | 6,026 | December 30 | January 1, 2022 | Unknown cause; 1,084 structures destroyed; 149 structures damaged; 1 fatality; 6 injuries | [18][2] |
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.[7]
References
- 1 2 Blumhardt, Miles (November 22, 2021). "Firefighter pilot Marc Thor Olson remembered: 'He was like the godfather of the fire pilots'". Coloradoan. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- 1 2 3 Oravetz, Janet (January 11, 2022). "Donation center opens for those impacted by Marshall Fire". KUSA. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ↑ "National Year-to-Date Report on Fires and Acres Burned" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
- ↑ Sneeringer, Breanna (June 24, 2021). "UPDATE: Six wildfires burn around Colorado, scorching nearly 25,000 acres". Out There Colorado. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Colorado wildfires force evacuations as hundreds of homes burn". belfasttelegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
- ↑ "Colorado Fire Season: In-Depth Guide". wfca.com. Western Fire Chiefs Association. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ↑ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
- ↑ "Ft. Lyons Fire near Ft. Lyons, Colorado - Current Incident Information and Wildfire Map | Fire, Weather & Avalanche Center". FireWeatherAvalanche.org. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Oil Springs Fire Information". InciWeb. June 25, 2021.
- ↑ "West Fire Information". InciWeb. June 25, 2021.
- ↑ "Muddy Slide Fire Information". InciWeb. June 25, 2021.
- ↑ "National Interagency Coordination Center Incident Management Situation Report Wednesday, September 15, 2021– 0730 MDT National Preparedness Level 5" (PDF). nifc.gov. September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
- ↑ "Sylvan Fire Information". InciWeb. June 25, 2021.
- ↑ "National Interagency Coordination Center Incident Management Situation Report Friday, October 15, 2021– 0730 MDT National Preparedness Level 2" (PDF). nifc.gov. October 15, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
- ↑ "Morgan Creek Fire Information". InciWeb. July 10, 2021.
- ↑ Lynn, Nate (August 28, 2021). "Large grass fire near Wiggins declared out". KUSA. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
- ↑ "Kruger Rock Fire Information". InciWeb. December 1, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ↑ "WATCH LIVE: Entire towns of Superior and Louisville ordered to evacuate due to multiple grass fires". KUSA (TV). December 30, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.