Severe Weather History


Colorado Wildfire History: 666 Recorded Events

668

Recorded events

24

Counties affected

12

Direct deaths

$3.8B

Property damage

Colorado wildfire history: 668 recorded events across 24 counties between 1996 and 2026.

Decade by decade

Colorado wildfire history by decade

Colorado wildfire history: recorded events per decade
Colorado wildfire history: recorded events per decade

The 2000s are the busiest decade on record with 155 reported wildfire events across Colorado. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.

County ranking

Counties with the most wildfire events in Colorado

RankCountyEventsDeathsDamageSpan
#1Rio Blanco County300$01998–2003
#2Moffat County240$01998–2003
#3Routt County210$01999–2003
#4Montezuma County170$420K1996–2003
#5Garfield County150$6.7M1998–2003
#6La Plata County100$10.5M2002–2003
#7Mesa County100$2K1999–2003
#8San Miguel County60$02002–2003
#9Gunnison County50$02002–2002
#10Archuleta County50$02002–2003
#11El Paso County50$4K2000–2003
#12Teller County30$12.0M2002–2002
#13Montrose County30$01999–2003
#14Prowers County20$01999–2003
#15Jefferson County20$14.2M2000–2002
#16Custer County20$200K2002–2002
#17Rio Grande County20$22.0M2002–2002
#18Fremont County20$5.0M2002–2002
#19Alamosa County10$02000–2000
#20Eagle County10$02003–2003
#21Larimer County10$3.0M2000–2000
#22Las Animas County10$50K2002–2002
#23Kiowa County10$02000–2000
#24Dolores County10$02000–2000
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · ranked by recorded event count

All hazards in Colorado · Wildfire across the U.S.