Lee Fire now among largest in Colorado history: How it compares
According to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, four out of the five largest wildfires in Colorado history have occurred in the last five years.
Colorado Wildfire Map
One of them is currently burning and could climb higher up the rankings.
No. 1: Cameron Peak Fire: 208,913 acres
The largest wildfire in Colorado history, the Cameron Peak Fire, burned 208,913 acres in the wilderness west of Fort Collins for 112 days in 2020. It started on Aug. 13 and ballooned past 158,000 acres on Oct. 14, making it the largest in state history.
Multiple fires that year remain at the top of the largest in Colorado history.
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No. 2: East Troublesome Fire: 193,812 acres in 2020
Not far from the Cameron Peak Fire, the East Troublesome Fire ignited on Oct. 14, 2020, and burned 193,812 acres by the time it was contained on Dec. 2.
This fire was the third most destructive when it comes to damage, with a total of 366 homes destroyed.
No. 3: Pine Gulch Fire: 139,007 acres
Also in 2020, the Pine Gulch Fire that burned in Mesa and Garfield Counties started on July 31 after a lightning strike. By the time it was contained on Sept. 23, the blaze had destroyed 139,007 acres of land.
No. 4: Hayman Fire: 137,760 acres
The Hayman Fire in 2002 was the largest in Colorado's history up until 2020, burning a total of 139,007 acres of forest land southwest of Denver.
The fire burned for six weeks and destroyed 133 homes and impacted the local ecosystem that supported 80% of the potable water supply used by residents along the Front Range.
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No. 5: Lee Fire: 116,859 acres
The Lee Fire is among multiple fires currently burning on the Western Slope, for which Gov. Jared Polis has declared disaster emergencies.
Located in Rio Blanco County near Meeker, the fire grew dramatically since last week and has taken its place as the fifth-largest wildfire in Colorado history. According to the last update as of Tuesday morning, the fire has burned 116,859 acres and is 6% contained. The fire is about 21,000 acres smaller than the Hayman Fire.
Between the Lee Fire and the nearby Elk Fire, there are over 1,000 firefighters working to stop the blazes.
The Lee Fire surpassed what is now the sixth-largest fire in Colorado history, the Spring Fire, which burned 108,045 acres in Southern Colorado in 2018. It burned for multiple weeks and destroyed at least 145 homes.
Crews are still working to contain the Lee Fire and FOX31 will continue to provide the latest updates as they become available.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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