Large, Catastrophic Fires
Some of Colorado's most damaging fires since 1988 are listed below.

Fire Name and Location
Year Damage Cause
I Do (Maybell) 1988 15,410 acres burned lightning
Black Ridge (near Durango) 1994 13,975 acres burned unknown
Storm King (near Glenwood Springs) 1994 2,000 acres burned and 14 firefighters killed lightning
Buffalo Creek 1996 12,000 acres and 9 homes burned campfire
Hi Meadow (Park and Jefferson Counties) 2000 10,800 acres and 51 homes burned lightning
Bircher (Mesa Verde) 2000 23,607 acres burned lightning
Iron Mountain (near Cañon City) 2002 4,439 acres and 88 homes burned illegal barbeque
Trinidad complex (Colorado-New Mexico border) 2002 28,383 acres burned lightning
Missionary Ridge (near Durango) 2002 More than 70,000 acres and 45 homes burned human
Hayman (southwest of Denver) 2002 More than 137,000 acres and 100 homes burned human
Coal Seam (Glenwood Springs) 2002 More than 12,000 acres burned underground coal fire

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