After 112 days of burning, the Cameron Peak Fire is 100% contained, fire officials announced Wednesday evening.
The 208,913-acre wildfire — the largest in state history — was 94% contained as of Tuesday morning, but firefighters were able to secure new sections of the fire's perimeter, according to the fire's incident management team. On Wednesday around 7 p.m., they announced the fire was fully contained.
"We have all traveled a long road together; this evening, we breathe a collective sigh of relief with you. Rest well tonight," the incident management team wrote on InciWeb Wednesday evening.
The state's second-largest wildfire, the East Troublesome Fire, was also announced as 100% contained on Monday.
A group working on fuel reduction continued to work to remove hazardous timber in the northwestern area of the Cameron Peak Fire Tuesday. This has been slow work due to icy, snow-covered roads and fewer daylight hours, the incident management team said.
The suppression group focused on a small dry pond that is continuing to smolder several feet below the ground northwest of the CSU Mountain Campus in the Pingree Park area.
READ MORE: How are Colorado's wildfires still burning in the snow?
Forest resource specialists say that extinguishing the ground fire would do more damage than letting it burn itself out. It will likely smolder for several days or weeks, according to the fire's incident management team.
No other sources of heat were detected, they reported.
READ MORE: How you can help victims of Colorado's wildfires
Deadman Road (County Road 86) remains closed.
The Cameron Peak Fire ignited on Aug. 13. Its cause remains under investigation.
Multiple places around the fire were under mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders.
These are the state's 10 largest wildfires, ranked by acreage:
1. Cameron Peak Fire (2020): 208,913 acres
2. East Troublesome Fire (2020): 193,812 acres
3. Pine Gulch Fire (2020): 139,007 acres
4. Hayman Fire (2002): 137,760 acres
5. Spring Fire (2018): 108,045 acres
6. High Park Fire (2012): 87,284 acres
7. Missionary Ridge Fire (2002): 72,962 acres
8. 416 Fire (2018): 54,000 acres
9. Bridger Fire (2008): 45,800 acres
10. Last Chance Fire (2012): 45,000 acres
Note: The Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center said the West Fork Complex fire, which burned a total of 109,632 acres in 2013, is not included on this list since it involved three separate fires.
