Colorado Fire Map: Tracking Wildfires and Smoke Across Colorado
Last updated 2026-09-28
Colorado's wildfire information runs through the state Division of Fire Prevention & Control (DFPC), the national InciWeb system for large incidents, and the EPA/Forest Service smoke map. This guide maps which source answers which question — and pairs the fire picture with live smoke readings for Denver and Colorado Springs.
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you. See disclosure.
Colorado's official fire sources
The Division of Fire Prevention & Control (dfpc.colorado.gov) publishes the state's wildfire situation reports and incident summaries — the authoritative statewide picture for active Colorado incidents, drawn from agency reporting.
InciWeb (inciweb.nifc.gov) carries official incident pages for large fires on federal land — Forest Service and BLM terrain that includes much of Colorado's high country; each incident page posts updates, evacuations and closures.
County sheriff and emergency pages are the evacuation authority in Colorado — wildfire evacuation orders come from the county sheriff, so those pages and their alert systems (like Everbridge notifications) are the source that matters most when a fire is near you.
The AirNow Fire and Smoke Map (fire.airnow.gov) is the EPA/USFS joint map of fire detections, smoke plumes and hourly AQI — the authoritative view of where Colorado's smoke is sitting right now.
Why Colorado's geography makes smoke a Front Range problem
Most of Colorado's population sits along the Front Range — the Interstate 25 corridor from Fort Collins through Denver to Colorado Springs — directly against the mountains and foothills where fires start. Downslope and upslope wind events push foothills smoke straight into that corridor: a fire west of the divide can foul Denver's air within hours, and the same wind events that grow fires rapidly are the ones that deliver the smoke. That is why the fire maps answer "where is the fire" but the smoke map — or our live city pages — answers the question that changes your plans.
When the AQI climbs: close windows early, run a Corsi-Rosenthal box or HEPA purifier, and keep N95 masks on hand for outdoor time when the index is unhealthy.
Colorado fire season and restrictions
Colorado's fire season runs May through October, with the sharpest danger in late summer and fall — hot, dry fuel followed by wind events. Fire bans and restrictions are set county by county and land unit by land unit; the authoritative listing is the county sheriff or land agency for the area you plan to visit. Fall wind events deserve particular respect: several of Colorado's most destructive fires have grown explosively in exactly that window.
2026 season: the Aspen Acres Fire
Colorado's dominant 2026 incident was the Aspen Acres Fire, burning roughly 48 km southwest of Pueblo. It grew explosively in early July during a National Weather Service Red Flag Warning — sustained winds around 40 mph with gusts reported near 100 mph — standing at about 66,895 acres and 0% containment on July 3 after an overnight run of more than 11,000 acres. By August 31 it was reported at roughly 102,004 acres and about 82% contained. The latest verified figures in this guide are from late August; for current status, check DFPC's situation reports and InciWeb.
Containment does not mean smoke risk is zero: residual heat and new starts can still degrade Front Range air on stagnant days. The live picture is on our Denver and Colorado Springs pages; for the neighboring states' seasons, see the Utah and Oregon fire map guides.
FAQ
What is the official Colorado fire map?
Start with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control (dfpc.colorado.gov) situation reports for the statewide picture, and InciWeb (inciweb.nifc.gov) for official pages on large incidents. For smoke rather than fire, the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map (fire.airnow.gov) shows plumes and hourly AQI.
Why is Denver smoky when the fire isn't near the city?
Front Range wind events carry foothills and mountain smoke directly into the I-25 corridor. The same downslope winds that let fires grow rapidly push their smoke into metro Denver and Colorado Springs within hours, so air quality can degrade hundreds of miles from the fire's edge.
Where can I check Denver's air quality right now?
Our live Denver page shows the current AQI with plain-language guidance, alongside a page for Colorado Springs. For the plume view across the whole Front Range, the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map overlays smoke detections and monitor readings.
What was Colorado's biggest wildfire in 2026?
The Aspen Acres Fire southwest of Pueblo — roughly 102,000 acres as of late August 2026, with containment around 82% after the fire ran hard during an early-July Red Flag Warning wind event with gusts reported near 100 mph.
Who issues wildfire evacuations in Colorado?
County sheriffs. Colorado's evacuation authority sits with the county sheriff's office, not the state or federal fire agencies — follow your county's emergency page and sign up for its notification system before fire season, not during an event.
Does an N95 mask help with wildfire smoke in Colorado?
A properly fitted N95 filters the fine PM2.5 that dominates wildfire smoke, and it is what health agencies recommend when AQI reaches unhealthy levels — particularly useful in the Front Range corridor, where wind-driven smoke events can arrive with little warning.
Check the air where you are
Live AQI on the 2024 EPA standard, with the reporting monitor and observation time on every reading.
Where this guidance comes from
We paraphrase published guidance rather than inventing our own. The primary sources for everything on this page:
- AirNow — Air Quality and Health (U.S. EPA): the AQI scale and its activity guidance by level.
- EPA — Particulate Matter (PM) Basics: what PM2.5 is and why it reaches deep into the lungs.
- CDC — Wildfire Smoke Safety: who is at higher risk, and when to seek care.
- EPA — Wildfires and Indoor Air Quality: clean rooms, filtration and what actually works indoors.
- AHAM: the CADR standard and the two-thirds room-sizing rule.
Our own AQI arithmetic is documented on the methodology page.
← All guides · Tools · Free smoke alerts
Some links are affiliate links — see disclosure. This guide is general health information and is not a substitute for medical advice — see disclaimer.