LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — A year ago to the day, Colorado’s largest wildfire started burning near Poudre Canyon Road in northern Larimer County.
Over the course of the next three months, the Cameron Peak fire burned 208,913 acres, scorched the earth in Rocky Mountain National Park and forced evacuations for hundreds of rural Coloradans.
To this day, the effects of the state’s largest wildfire are still impacting lives. The runoff from the Cameron Peak burn scar turned the Poudre River black, volunteers are actively working to restore scorched trails in the area and communities hold their breath as flash floods are a constant threat during the summer.
A major restoration project is now underway in the Cameron Peak burn scar to help prevent erosion and mudslides that could impact Greeley’s water supply. Crews are dumping tons of mulch over the burn scar from the air, to try and protect water quality from runoff in the area.
The Cameron Peak Fire was 100% contained on December 2, 2020 and considered controlled on January 12, 2021.
It destroyed 461 structures between residential and outbuildings and 17 business structures.