This is a list of the largest, most destructive, and deadliest Colorado wildfires that have occurred in modern history.
During the severe 2002 Colorado wildfire season that burned nearly 360,000 acres, the Hayman Fire became the largest wildfire in Colorado state history. It held that title for nearly 20 years, until the Pine Gulch Fire surpassed it in August 2020. The Cameron Peak Fire became the largest wildfire in Colorado history seven weeks later, and ended up burning a total of 208,913 acres.
The 2012 Colorado forest fires broke the record for most destructive fire twice and led to declaration of a federal disaster area in June 2012. The 2013 Colorado forest fires, fueled by high heat and winds, again broke the record for the most destructive, and included what was the second largest fire (by area) in Colorado history, until being surpassed by several fires in 2020. With multiple record-breaking fires, the 2020 Colorado wildfire season became the largest in the state's history after burning .
According to CSU, wildfires in Colorado burned less than per decade over the 1960s and the 1970s. For the 1980s and 1990s, the total was over per decade. For the 2000s, the total was approximately .
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 .
Starting in 2000, the National Interagency Fire Center began keeping more accurate records on the total fire acreage burned in each state, and has statistics going back to 1995.
As of August 2025, the 10 largest wildfires in Colorado have been:
As of August 2025, the 10 most destructive wildfires in Colorado have been:
As of January 2025, these are all the wildfires that have resulted in five or more deaths in Colorado: