https://news.yahoo.com/two-largest-wildfires-colorado-history-173419761.html
Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan
,USA TODAY•October 23, 2020
The two largest wildfires in Colorado history are now burning at the same time.
About 700 square miles of wildfires are burning in Colorado, contributing to the 940 square miles set ablaze in the state since July 31.
The Cameron Peak Fire, which was first reported Aug. 13, is the largest since records have been kept — about 320 square miles. The East Troublesome Fire, which was first reported Oct. 14, is No. 2 on the list at about 265 square miles.
Colorado's one-time largest fire, Pine Gulch, also occurred this year. It's the only major fire in the state to be completely contained this year, which occurred Sept. 24. It burned about 217 square miles north of Grand Junction. The Cameron Peak fire surpassed it Oct. 14. The East Troublesome Fire surpassed it Thursday.
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One of the drivers of the unprecedented late wildfire season is the drought gripping the state. Colorado has been unusually dry since spring. Coupled with the vast majority of 5,300 square miles of lodgepole and ponderosa killed by the mountain pine beetle in the past few decades, there's a lot of fuel for wildfires.
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tags: extreme weather, severe weather,
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