A Decade Later, Looking Back On Hayman Fire

Ten years after Colorado’s most destructive wildfire started, land restoration efforts continue.

The Hayman Fire started on June 8, 2002. It burned for 20 days through the Pike National Forest and state, county and private lands.

It destroyed 133 homes and nearly 138,000 acres.

Since the fire, thousands of volunteers have come together to repair the devastated landscape.

On Friday, volunteers continued their efforts as they took a moment to reflect on the anniversary.

Over the past decade, 1 million trees have been planted and nearly 17,000 acres seeded.

“As soon as I saw smoke, I said,’oh no'”, described Carol Ekarius.

Ekarius lived 10 miles west of the burn area in 2002. She described the day it started as “extraordinarily windy.”

“It ran 19 miles that first day,” she said.