The Hayman Fire

For nearly two decades, the Hayman Fire was the largest wildfire in Colorado history, and one of the most notorious for how it started.

Overview

Igniting June 8, 2002 during a severe drought and total burn ban, the Hayman Fire burned 138,114 acres across four counties southwest of Denver. It destroyed 600 structures, including 133 homes.

The cause

The fire was started by a U.S. Forest Service forestry technician, Terry Barton, who said she was burning a letter in a campfire ring during the ban. She was convicted of arson. Five firefighters died in a vehicle crash en route to the fire from Oregon, deaths sometimes recorded separately from the fireline.

Lessons

What the Hayman Fire teaches Colorado homeowners

Every major Colorado fire reinforces the same lesson: the homes most likely to survive are the ones prepared before a fire starts. Its scale during extreme drought foreshadowed the megafires of 2020 and made watershed protection a Front Range priority. 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 Platte Canyon and South Platte foothills can get a free assessment from our Denver Foothills and Bailey teams.

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.