2026 Intermountain West Wildfires
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Purpose of the report: This report provides an assessment of wildfires in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming during the 2026 wildfire season through September 15, 2026. We provide descriptions of the wildfire events, the role of climate and weather in 2026, and preliminary impacts from the wildfires,
including structures burned, poor air quality and post-fire flooding. This report was written and reviewed during September 2026, so all impacts reported occurred as of the publication date.
Key Findings:
- As of October 2, 907,392 acres were burned by wildfire in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, with 530,959 acres burned in Utah (3rd most since 1984), 318,399 acres burned in Colorado (5th most), and 58,034 acres burned in Wyoming.
- Nine of the ten largest regional wildfires started in a late June outbreak of wildfire fueled by hot and windy weather, ultimately burning 542,000 acres.
- Six firefighters were killed fighting two regional wildfires during 2026.
- The Aspen Acres Fire in Colorado and Cottonwood Fire in Utah were responsible for burning a combined 1,000 structures, including over 464 homes.
- $605 million was spent on wildland firefighting in the region, distributed among Colorado ($345 million), Utah ($250 million), and Wyoming ($20 million).
- 27 communities were within 5 miles of a 2026 wildfire, affecting an estimated 47,000 people; 54 communities were within 10 miles of a 2026 wildfire, affecting 191,000 people.
- Two periods of poor air quality due to wildfire smoke impacted the region, causing exposure to unhealthy air pollution for several hundred thousand regional residents.
- Record-low snowpack and early snowmelt in Colorado and Utah during 2026 intensified long-term drought and caused elevated fire danger by June.
- Relatively active monsoonal thunderstorms during July and August helped firefighting efforts but caused damage and a fatality from debris flow flash flooding on the Aspen Acres Fire in Beulah, CO and the Cottonwood Fire in Beaver, UT.