Black Forest Fire

Black Forest Fire
The smoke plume rising from the Black Forest area on June 11, 2013, the first day of the fire.
Date(s)June 11, 2013 (2013-06-11) – June 20, 2013 (2013-06-20)
LocationBlack Forest, Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Coordinates39°00′58″N 104°45′00″W / 39.016°N 104.75°W / 39.016; -104.75
Statistics[1][2][3]
Burned area14,280 acres (58 km2)
Impacts
Deaths2
Structures destroyed
  • 511 homes
Map
Black Forest Fire is located in Colorado
Black Forest Fire
Smoke clouds caused by fires in Black Forest
Burning forest land
Smoke of the fire
U.S. Air Force Academy firefighters fight the fire
UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter picks up water for a water drop
A U.S. Air Force modular airborne fire fighting system-equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft assigned to the 302nd Airlift Wing releases a fire-retardant solution to help stop the spreading of fires
A U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft with the 302nd Airlift Wing helps put out wildfires with a Modular Airborne Firefighting System
A U.S. flag hangs in front of a burning structure in Black Forest, Colorado
Black Forest Fire incident command center
A burnt section of forest land as a result of the fire

The Black Forest Fire was a forest fire that began near Highway 83 and Shoup Road in Black Forest, Colorado around 1:00 p.m. on June 11, 2013. As of June 20, 2013, the fire was 100 percent contained, 14,280 acres (22.31 sq mi; 57.8 km2) were burned, at least 509 homes were said to be destroyed, and two people had died.[4] This was the most destructive fire in the state's history at the time, surpassing the 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire which also began near Colorado Springs. It was surpassed in 2021, when the Marshall Fire destroyed over 1,000 homes in Boulder County, in Superior and Louisville.[5]

The evacuation area covered 94,000 acres (147 sq mi; 380 km2) acres, 13,000 homes and 38,000 people. Three shelters were established in the area, including Elbert County Fairgrounds, which accepted humans, pets, and large animals. Two other shelters were designated for large animals only.

On June 13, the Denver Post reported, 457 firefighters were working the fireline, including agencies around the fire, the Colorado Air National Guard, and select personnel from fire suppression teams on Fort Carson and the nearby United States Air Force Academy. Of note, 3 x UH-60 and 3 x CH-47 from 2-4 GSAB along with some crews from 3-4 AHB (4th Combat Aviation Brigade) were instrumental in providing immediate response to assist in fighting the fires. The Battalion, commanded by LTC Tyler Smith, launched with very little notice to provide much needed support to the Front Range region. One of the CH-47D aircraft "Patches", was involved in the effort on every day. Governor John Hickenlooper addressed Emergency Managers at the command post on June 12.[6] U.S. Northern Command assisted with fire fighting efforts.[7]

  1. ^ "Black Forest Fire 75% Contained;". KKTV. June 16, 2013.
  2. ^ Rzemek, Alyse (June 13, 2013). "Two lives lost in Colorado's most destructive fire". KOAA-TV. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  3. ^ "InciWeb: Black Forest Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  4. ^ STAFF (June 21, 2013). "Black Forest Fire 100% Contained". KKTV. Archived from the original on June 27, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  5. ^ "Boulder County fire is most destructive in state history after burning at least 500 structures". KUSA.com. December 30, 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  6. ^ Parker, Ryan; Jordan Steffen; Zahira Torres (June 14, 2013). "2 confirmed dead in Black Forest fire; 379 homes destroyed". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on June 18, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  7. ^ "US Northern Command provides assistance in Colorado fires". KOAA-TV. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.