2025 Colorado wildfires

2025 Colorado wildfires
The Turner Gulch Fire on July 15, 2025.
Season
← 2024

The 2025 Colorado wildfires are a series of active wildfires currently ongoing in Colorado.

Background

Main article: List of Colorado wildfires

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]

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[a] Notes Ref.
Andrix Baca 1,934 March 10 March 10 Cost $35,000 in suppression efforts. Burned 20 miles (32 km) east of Kim. [3][4]
Meridian El Paso 2,540 March 13 March 16 Destroyed one structure and prompted evacuations east of Colorado Springs. [5][6]
Iron Ladies Weld 1,500 March 17 March 18 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Grover in Pawnee National Grassland. [7][8]
31 North & South Otero 3,400 March 18 March 18 [9]
US 160 Las Animas 2,270 April 7 April 7 [10]
South Rim Montrose 4,232 July 10
52%
 Lightning-caused. Burning in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. [11]
Sowbelly Delta, Mesa, Montrose 2274 July 10 August 1 Lightning-caused. Burning in the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. [12]
Turner Gulch Mesa 31,695 July 10
75%
 Lightning-caused. Burning near Gateway. [13][14]
Stoner Mesa Montezuma County, Colorado 7,389.6 July 28
0%
 Lightning-caused. [15]
Lee Rio Blanco 133,602.4 August 2
31%
 Lightning-caused. Started 18 miles southwest of Meeker.[16][17][18] [19][20]
Elk RBX Rio Blanco 14,518 August 2 August 16 Lightning-caused. Started 10 miles east of Meeker. [19][20]
Crosho Rio Blanco, Routt 2,200 August 11
0%
 Undetermined cause. [21]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ 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.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Colorado Fire Season: In-Depth Guide". wfca.com. Western Fire Chiefs Association. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  2. ^ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  3. ^ "Andrix Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  4. ^ "Andrix - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.recordonline.com. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  5. ^ "Meridian Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  6. ^ Prentzel, Olivia (March 13, 2025). "Quickly growing Meridian fire prompts evacuations in Colorado Springs". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  7. ^ "Iron Ladies Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  8. ^ "Iron Ladies - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.oklahoman.com. The Oklahoman. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  9. ^ "31 North/South Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  10. ^ "US 160 Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  11. ^ "South Rim Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  12. ^ "Sowbelly Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  13. ^ "Turner Gulch Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  14. ^ "Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts". Turner Gulch Fire Map - Watch Duty. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  15. ^ "Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  16. ^ Krause, David. "Lee fire now 5th-largest in state history, burning more than 113k acres in northwestern Colorado". Colorado Sun. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  17. ^ Krause, David. "Lee fire tops 106k acres as firefighters in northwestern Colorado start to gain containment". Colorado Sun. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  18. ^ Krause, David. "Lee fire west of Meeker is so large it is creating its own weather system". Colorado Sun. Retrieved August 9, 2025.
  19. ^ a b "National Guard called to help firefighters battling "really, really fast" wildfires in northwestern Colorado". Colorado Sun. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
  20. ^ a b "Wildfire burning near Meeker destroys 3 buildings, explodes to 3,000 acres". Colorado Sun. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  21. ^ "Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 14, 2025.


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