The High Park Fire

The lightning-caused High Park Fire was, at the time, the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history by homes lost.

Overview

Sparked by lightning on June 9, 2012 in the foothills west of Fort Collins, the High Park Fire burned 87,284 acres, destroyed 259 homes and killed one resident who could not evacuate. It was a defining fire of Colorado’s severe 2012 season.

Aftermath

The fire badly damaged the Cache la Poudre watershed, a key water supply, leading to years of sediment and water-quality problems, a lesson in wildfire’s downstream costs.

Lessons

What the High Park 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 259 home losses spurred a wave of investment in defensible space across Larimer County. 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 High Park footprint can get a free assessment from our Northern Colorado and Fort Collins 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.