The fire grew fast through pine beetle-killed trees, and threatened the town of South Fork only 0.5-mile (0.80 km) away.

[2] On June 8, the Ox Cart fire began from lightning 9 miles north of Villa Grove in Saguache County.

[3] The Big Meadows Fire started on June 10, about five miles north of Grand Lake, in Rocky Mountain National Park.

The same day, the high winds caused the fire to jump the gorge into the park, resulting in the loss of 48 structures.

[9] The Ward Gulch Fire was caused by a lightning strike 3 miles north of Rifle Gap Reservoir on June 14.

[10] The Lime Gulch Fire started on June 18 near Chair Rock, for which it was originally named, in Jefferson County near Buffalo Creek.

[12] On July 20, a lightning strike 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Meeker sparked the East Tschuddi Fire in Rio Blanco County.

[13] Also northwest of Meeker, in Moffat County, the Citadel Fire was caused by a lightning strike on July 21.