The Badger Hole Wildfire ignited on April 17th and spread quickly across southeast Colorado (Baca County) and western Kansas fueled by strong winds, low RH, and dry fuels. The fire burned around 50,000 acres total, including 33,609 acres in Colorado (the rest in Kansas).
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.
The Badger Hole Wildfire ignited on April 17th and spread quickly across southeast Colorado (Baca County) and western Kansas fueled by strong winds, low RH, and dry fuels. The fire burned around 50,000 acres total, including 33,609 acres in Colorado (the rest in Kansas). This makes it the 10th largest wildfire in Colorado recorded history. The fire was contained on April 19th, and destroyed multiple homes, outbuildings, livestock and infrastructure. The cause is unknown.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 17, 8:29 AM MST, 1 hour 31 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pueblo CO 929 AM MDT Tue Apr 17 2018 .UPDATE... Issued at 925 AM MDT Tue Apr 17 2018 ....DUST STORM WARNING ISSUED... Reports from spotters and CDOT webcams show that visibility is less than 1 mile due to blowing dust. Hi res sat pix imagery show this blowing dust coming from the northern San Luis Valley and moving across the northern Sangre de Cristo mountains, wet mtn valley and moving across Fremont county. Hi res HRRR shows that the strongest winds will continue this morning and early afternoon, decreasing later this afternoon. \/Hodanish && .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 454 AM MDT Tue Apr 17 2018 ...High Winds and High Fire Danger Tuesday... Currently, GOES-16 water vapor imagery reveals a broad upper-level trough advancing east into the Four Corners region. This feature will track across Colorado during the day Tuesday. Dry southwest flow ahead of the trough will spread across much of southern Colorado during the day, including a large area of 60+ knot 600 mb winds. Deep vertical daytime mixing and a tightening surface pressure gradient in association with a deepening surface low in eastern Colorado will lead to strong and gusty surface winds from late morning through the afternoon. Sustained winds out of the southwest at 35-45 mph with gusts of 55-60 mph can be expected across the San Luis Valley and eastern plains. Therefore, a High Wind Warning is in effect for those areas from 10 AM to 8 PM. Further, the strong winds will combine with very low RH values - as low as 5% - under the descending dry air across the same areas leading to critical-to-extreme fire weather conditions. Given the weather conditions and continued dry fuels, a Red Flag Warning is in effect from 10 AM to 8 PM today. The strong winds will also create areas of blowing dust across the eastern plains, which could temporarily reduce visibilities. As the upper trough axis moves east out of Colorado, a bora cold front will accelerate east across the region during the early evening hours. Winds will shift to a northwesterly direction, and weaken through the evening. The storm system will also bring snow showers to the continental divide, with generally 1-4 inches expected in the central mountains. The period of greatest snowfall will be between Noon and 6 PM. Winds will also be strong across the mountains, with 60-70 mph gusts at high elevations. Ahead of the cold front, high temperatures across the plains on Tuesday will reach the mid 60s in the Colorado Springs area, around 70 along the southern I-25 corridor, to around 80 near the Kansas border. Highs in the San Luis Valley will be in the mid 50s. Weakening northwest surface winds and clearing skies Tuesday evening will allow lows to dip into the 20s to low 30s across the plains and teens in the San Luis Valley. Line .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Monday) Issued at 454 AM MDT Tue Apr 17 2018 Main longer term meteorological concerns continue to be winds, temperatures, elevated fire weather concerns/thunderstorm potential at times as well as increasing precipitation potential from Thursday evening into Saturday evening. Generally tranquil meteorological conditions are expected over the forecast district from Wednesday into the balance of Thursday as basically dry zonal to southwesterly upper flow develops over southern Colorado. Localized/elevated fire weather conditions(favoring the San Luis Valley) will be possible Wednesday and especially Thursday as afternoon winds increase. Meteorological focus then shifts to vigorous storm system(that will be capable of producing beneficial precipitation including higher terrain snow, gusty winds and thunderstorms at times over sections of the forecast district). This closed upper low initially centered off the coast of northern California at 12Z Wednesday is projected to be entering central California by 12Z Thursday before nearing the 4-Corners region by 12Z Friday before shifting into the Oklahoma/Texas panhandle by 18Z Saturday and then into Arkansas by 12Z Sunday. A more tranquil(although showers will still be possible) and warmer meteorological regime is still expected to develop over southern Colorado from Sunday into Monday morning as a transitory upper ridging moves south of the CWA. The highest potential for gusty winds over the forecast district during the longer term are anticipated into Wednesday morning and then again from Wednesday evening into Friday. Coolest temperatures over the forecast district during the longer term are expected Friday and Saturday, while warmest temperatures should be realized Thursday and then again from Sunday into at least Monday. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Wednesday morning) Issued at 454 AM MDT Tue Apr 17 2018 All three TAF sites (KALS, KPUB, KCOS) will experience strong and gusty winds Tuesday, starting out of the southwest and shifting to the northwest by early evening. Winds of 35 - 45 knots will gust to around 55 knots at there peak during the late morning through late afternoon. Winds will become weaker after turning northwest as the evening progresses. The three TAF sites may experience periods of blowing dust during the strong winds, with limited impacts on visibility. All three TAF sites can expect VFR conditions over the next 24 hours. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning until 8 PM MDT this evening for COZ069>071-077- 078-083>089-093>099. Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MDT this evening for COZ221-222- 224>237. Dust Storm Warning until 3 PM MDT this afternoon for COZ069-072- 073-076>078. && UPDATE...HODANISH
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pueblo CO 605 AM MDT Tue Apr 17 2018 COZ058>089-093>099-181215- Western Mosquito Range/East Lake County Above 11000 Feet- Leadville Vicinity/Lake County Below 11000 Feet- Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Western Chaffee County Between 9000 and 11000 Feet- Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Feet- Western Mosquito Range/East Chaffee County Above 9000 Feet- Saguache County West of Continental Divide Below 10000 Feet- Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Feet- La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Upper Rio Grande Valley/Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Feet-Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Del Norte Vicinity/Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Feet- Alamosa Vicinity/Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Feet- Southern San Luis Valley- Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 And 11000 Feet- Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 and 11000 Feet- Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Feet- Northwestern Fremont County Above 8500 Feet- Western/Central Fremont County Below 8500 Feet- Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Feet- Wet Mountains between 6300 and 10000 Feet- Wet Mountains Above 10000 Feet- Teller County/Rampart Range Above 7500 Feet/Pikes Peak Between 7500 And 11000 Feet-Pikes Peak Above 11000 Feet- Canon City Vicinity/Eastern Fremont County- Northern El Paso County/Monument Ridge/Rampart Range Below 7500 Feet- Colorado Springs Vicinity/Southern El Paso County/Rampart Range Below 7400 Feet-Pueblo Vicinity/Pueblo County Below 6300 Feet- Walsenburg Vicinity/Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500 Feet- Trinidad Vicinity/Western Las Animas County Below 7500 Feet- Crowley County-La Junta Vicinity/Otero County- Eastern Las Animas County-Western Kiowa County- Eastern Kiowa County-Las Animas Vicinity/Bent County- Lamar Vicinity/Prowers County-Springfield Vicinity/Baca County- 605 AM MDT Tue Apr 17 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of central...east central...south central and southeast Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Extreme fire danger is expected today across all of southeast Colorado and the San Luis Valley, as a result of strong westerly winds, low humidities, and dry fuels. Westerly winds at 35 to 45 mph, with gusts of 50 to 60 mph at the lower elevations, and up to 70 mph over the mountains can be expected today. The central mountains will likely see 1 to 4 inches of snow accumulation, mainly this afternoon through early this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Localized, elevated fire danger will be possible again Wednesday and especially Thursday, favoring the San Luis Valley as gusty winds, low humidities and dry fuels will be capable of producing conditions favorable for the growth and spread of fires. Then, unsettled conditions, including but not limited to increased winds, precipitation, thunderstorms and accumulating primarily higher elevation snow will be possible over many locations from Thursday evening into Saturday evening as another storm system impacts the area. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather conditions that meet reporting criteria for spotters will be likely across southeast and south central Colorado.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1031 AM MDT TUE APR 17 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1010 AM NON-TSTM WND GST FREMONT COUNTY ARPT 38.43N 105.11W
04/17/2018 M60 MPH FREMONT CO AWOS
AWOS STATION 1V6, FREMONT COUNTY ARPT.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1032 AM MDT TUE APR 17 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0958 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 ESE WETMORE 38.21N 105.00W
04/17/2018 M63 MPH PUEBLO CO MESONET
MESONET STATION RDDC2, 5 ESE WETMORE.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1034 AM MDT TUE APR 17 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1001 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 NNE FLORENCE 38.42N 105.10W
04/17/2018 M60 MPH FREMONT CO MESONET
MESONET STATION K1V6, 2 NNE FLORENCE.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1037 AM MDT TUE APR 17 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1010 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 WSW PENROSE 38.42N 105.04W
04/17/2018 M62 MPH FREMONT CO MESONET
MESONET STATION CO111, 1 WSW PENROSE.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1045 AM MDT TUE APR 17 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1044 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 SSE BEULAH 38.07N 104.98W
04/17/2018 PUEBLO CO TRAINED SPOTTER
18-22" DIAMETER TREES HAVE BEEN BLOWN DOWN,
6-7" BRANCHES SCATTERED AROUND BEULAH, CO.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO
1046 AM MDT TUE APR 17 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1026 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 NNE FLORENCE 38.42N 105.10W
04/17/2018 M62 MPH FREMONT CO MESONET
MESONET STATION K1V6, 2 NNE FLORENCE.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 2018
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 752500.