Gold Mountain Fire (CO)

Active · 87% contained · 39,718 acres · started 2026-06-27 · updated 2026-08-22

Gold Mountain Fire (CO) — Sentinel-2 SWIR (fuego)

True color Fire (SWIR)

⟷

True color (left): as the eye sees it.
Infrared / SWIR (right): sees through smoke.

🟢 green = vegetation
🟤 red/brown = burned
🟠 orange = active fire

Imagery: Sentinel-2 (Copernicus). Drag to compare smoke vs. infrared.

Heat detections: NASA FIRMS (last 48h).

Quick facts

Location: 2 Miles N from Ouray, CO
Personnel: 79
Complexity: Type 3 Incident
Fuel: Short Grass (1 foot)
Behavior: Minimal, Creeping, Single Tree Torching, Smoldering
Jurisdiction: USFS · Federal land

Burning near Ouray, Colorado, the Gold Mountain Fire has maintained an active status for 56 days since starting on June 27, 2026, averaging an expansion of approximately 709 acres per day to reach a total of 39,718 acres with 87 percent containment. Driven by short grass fuels, current fire behavior involves moderate, flanking, backing, and single tree torching activity. Satellites are picking up a low heat signature with only 1 detection over the past 48 hours near the federal land managed by the USFS.

A contingent of 95 personnel, operating under a Type 3 Incident designation and overseen by a Complex Incident Management Team, has accumulated 64,569,152 dollars in suppression costs while managing the incident within Ouray County. The regional fire season typically spans from June to October, providing seasonal context for the ongoing operations.

Across the country, a total of 2,970,412 hectares have burned so far in 2026, marking a figure that is 46 percent below the two-decade average for the nation.

In context

This wildfire has been burning in Colorado for 59 days. So far it has affected roughly 39,718 acres — about 161 km². About 87% of the perimeter is contained — over half is secured, though hotspots remain.

In the Northern Hemisphere, wildfire activity usually peaks during the warm, dry months — roughly May through October.