Waldo Canyon fire was a forest fire that started approximately northwest of Colorado Springs , Colorado on June 23 , 2012 , and was declared 100 percent contained on July 10 , 2012 , after no smoke plumes were visible on a small portion of the containment line on Blodgett Peak . The fire was active in the Pike National Forest and adjoining areas , covering a total of . The fire had caused the evacuation of over 32,000 residents of Colorado Springs , Manitou Springs and Woodland Park , several small mountain communities along the southwestern side of Highway 24 , and partial evacuation of the United States Air Force Academy . There were 346 homes destroyed by the fire . U.S. Highway 24 , a major east-west road , was closed in both directions . The Waldo Canyon Fire resulted in insurance claims totaling more than US $ 453.7 million . It was the most destructive fire in Colorado state history , as measured by the number of homes destroyed , until the Black Forest Fire surpassed it almost a year later when it consumed 486 homes and damaged 28 others
Black Forest Fire
Black Forest Fire
Waldo Canyon Fire