A barn near Laporte, Colorado, sits at the edge of the daunting High Park Fire—the largest of eight wildfires that are currently ravaging the state. In less than a month, Colorado fires have consumed more than a hundred thousand acres and have forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. Sparked by a lightning strike on June 9, 2012, the High Park blaze—part of the worst fire season in Colorado in a decade—has been fueled by record-breaking temperatures and strong winds. What is it like to be caught up in the flames of this fire season? Read author Michael Kodas’s firsthand report in NatGeo News Watch: "In Rocky Mountain Forests, More Fires and More People." —Updated by Tasha Eichenseher, June 27, 2012
Colorado Fires
A barn near Laporte, Colorado, sits at the edge of the daunting High Park Fire—the largest of eight wildfires that are currently ravaging the state. In less than a month, Colorado fires have consumed more than a hundred thousand acres and have forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. Sparked by a lightning strike on June 9, 2012, the High Park blaze—part of the worst fire season in Colorado in a decade—has been fueled by record-breaking temperatures and strong winds. What is it like to be caught up in the flames of this fire season? Read author Michael Kodas’s firsthand report in NatGeo News Watch: "In Rocky Mountain Forests, More Fires and More People." —Updated by Tasha Eichenseher, June 27, 2012
Wildfires
See photos of forest fires, smokejumpers, and wildfire damage and download free desktop wallpapers from National Geographic.