Pine Gulch Fire
| Pine Gulch Fire | |
|---|---|
The Pine Gulch Fire as seen from space on August 10, 2020 | |
| Date(s) | July 31, 2020–September 23, 2020 |
| Location | Mesa County & Garfield County, Colorado, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°20′10″N 108°31′34″W / 39.336°N 108.526°W |
| Statistics | |
| Burned area | 139,007 acres (56,254 ha) |
| Land use | Recreational |
| Impacts | |
| Non-fatal injuries | 3 firefighters |
| Structures destroyed | 1 outbuilding |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Lightning strike |
| Map | |
The Pine Gulch Fire was a wildfire that burned in Mesa County and Garfield County, Colorado in the United States. The fire was started by a lightning strike and first reported on July 31, 2020, and quickly grew, resulting in the fire being named the largest wildfire in Colorado history, surpassing the 2002 Hayman Fire. Almost seven weeks later, it was surpassed by the Cameron Peak Fire in Larimer County.
The Pine Gulch Fire burned on private and public lands and threatened gas and oil drilling infrastructure. The fire resulted in the closure of highways, government-managed and recreational land, and the evacuation of rural residences in the fire zone. The fire was declared 100% contained on September 23, and all evacuation orders were lifted. In total, the fire burned 139,007 acres (56,254 ha).