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 as seen from space on August 10, 2020
A natural gas well threatened by the Pine Gulch Fire. The well was stopped from producing gas when the fire started.
The Pine Gulch Fire on the evening of August 2
The fire seen from Grand Junction Regional Airport with airplanes used for aerial firefighting in foreground on August 3.
The Hayman Fire was a forest fire started on June 8, 2002, 35 miles (56 km) northwest of Colorado Springs, Colorado and 22 miles (35 km) southwest of Denver, Colorado and was, for 18 years, the largest wildfire in the state's recorded history at over 138,114 acres.
The Hayman Fire (brown area in center of image), between the Kenosha Mountains (upper left) and Pikes Peak (lower right)
Fire damage as seen looking towards Turkey Rock
Complete burn as seen from roadway
The damage to areas in the burn area varied greatly, as shown in this photo. The farthest hill burned completely, the middle hill was substantially burned, and the close hill relatively unburned.
