The CalWood Fire capped Colorado's record 2020 season with a fast October run northwest of Boulder, becoming the largest fire in Boulder County history at the time.
Starting October 17, 2020 near Jamestown, the wind-driven CalWood Fire burned 10,113 acres and destroyed 26 homes in a single afternoon of explosive growth. Its cause was never determined.
Every major Colorado fire reinforces the same lesson: the homes most likely to survive are the ones prepared before a fire starts. Burning in mid-October, it underscored how Colorado's fire season now stretches deep into autumn. Creating defensible space, hardening the home against embers, and documenting the work for insurance and grant funding are the highest-leverage steps a homeowner can take.
Homeowners in the CalWood footprint can get a free assessment from our Boulder County team.
Not sure where your property stands? Check your wildfire risk score in under a minute, watch for new starts on the active fires map, and set up emergency fire alerts so you never miss an evacuation order.
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Open the full guide10,113 acres, the largest fire in Boulder County history at the time.
26 homes near Jamestown.