Name: The most destructive wildfire in Colorado history
Uploaded: 2025-12-29T20:55:31.515Z
Duration: 1 min 32 s
Description: Four years after the Marshall Fire devastated communities near Boulder, Colorado, a look back reveals a familiar warning sign this season: an unusually dry winter pattern with delayed snowfall.

Four years after the Marshall Fire devastated communities near Boulder, Colorado, a look back reveals a familiar warning sign this season: an unusually dry winter pattern with delayed snowfall.

Colorado

Colorado experienced its most destructive wildfire in December 2021, when the Marshall Fire swept through Boulder County, destroying over 1,000 homes and several commercial buildings. The fire was driven by hurricane-force winds, prolonged drought, and a record-late snowfall, with only two fatalities reported due to rapid evacuation efforts.

Recent weather in 2025 has shown similar patterns, with Denver recording its second-latest first measurable snowfall and ongoing dry conditions. These trends have renewed concerns about wildfire risks during winter, underscoring that strong winds, dry fuels, and delayed snowfall can contribute to significant fire danger even outside the traditional fire season.

The most destructive wildfire in Colorado history

Four years ago this week, Colorado experienced the most destructive wildfire in state history. On December 30, 2021, what began as a grass fire in Boulder County exploded into the Marshall Fire, racing into the communities of Superior and Louisville in less than an hour. Hurricane-forced wind gusts, some topping 100 mph, drove flames through the bone-dry grasslands after months of drought and an unusually snowless start to the winter. That winter pattern looks familiar. In 2021, Denver didn't record its first measurable snowfall until December 10, the latest on record, just three-tenths of an inch. And that was the only snow on the ground until December 31, when a more significant storm finally arrived, helping firefighters gain control. By the time the fire was fully contained on January 7, 2022, more than 1,000 homes had been destroyed, along with several commercial buildings. Despite the scale of the disaster, officials said it was remarkable that only two lives were lost, thanks in part to a rapid evacuation of nearly 50,000 people. This season hasn't been much different. In 2025, Denver saw its second-latest first measurable snowfall on record on November 29, just two-tenths of an inch. While snow totals have improved since, the pattern of delayed snowfall and extended dry stretches has raised similar concerns. The Marshall Fire remains a powerful reminder that winter doesn't always mean lower fire risk, especially when strong winds, dry fuels, and delayed snowfall all come together. For AccuWeather, I'm meteorologist Tony Laubag.

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