Colorado's prisons face a documented and growing disaster threat: wildfires in the foothills and western slope, flooding along rivers and in burn-scar areas, severe winter storms, and landslides. Unlike many states, Colorado has demonstrated a working facility evacuation capability in real emergencies, most recently in August 2025 when an entire prison was evacuated ahead of a wildfire. A 2023 research study found that 75 percent of prisons and jails in Colorado have moderate or high exposure to wildfires, floods, extreme temperatures, or landslides.
This article covers what happens during Colorado disaster emergencies based on documented events, how families can prepare, what to expect during a crisis, and what to do in the aftermath.
PART 1 - COLORADO DOC DISASTER AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
OFFICIAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
The Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) operates roughly 20 state correctional facilities. CDOC does not publish the detailed contents of its facility emergency plans (for security reasons), but unlike many states, Colorado has shown those plans exist and function: each facility maintains an emergency evacuation plan, and CDOC has executed full facility evacuations in real disasters.
Documented proof the plans work: During the August 2025 Lee Fire, CDOC stated that "Rifle Correctional Center staff have implemented the facility's emergency evacuation plan, ensuring the safe transfer of residents with enhanced security and strong coordination among partner agencies." All 179 incarcerated people were evacuated safely, with no injuries.
This is a meaningful contrast with states like California (whose 2025 OIG audit found no external evacuation plan). Colorado has both written facility plans and a track record of using them.
EVACUATION PROTOCOL (DOCUMENTED)
When a disaster threatens a CDOC facility:
- The facility activates its emergency evacuation plan
- CDOC coordinates with state and local emergency management and partner agencies (sheriffs, fire, the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management)
- Incarcerated people are transferred under enhanced security to "secure facilities outside the [affected] area"
- Transfers can cover long distances (in the 2025 Lee Fire, inmates moved ~150 miles from Rifle to the Buena Vista Correctional Complex)
- Evacuations are made proactively "out of an abundance of caution," ahead of the threat reaching the facility
Decision authority: CDOC leadership and the facility warden, in coordination with state/local emergency management.
Receiving facilities: Other secure CDOC facilities outside the affected area. Colorado's cluster of facilities around Cañon City/Fremont County and the Buena Vista complex provide receiving capacity.
FAMILY NOTIFICATION
Colorado does not operate a single publicized statewide family-notification system, but CDOC has communicated proactively during recent emergencies through:
- CDOC news releases (cdoc.colorado.gov)
- Statements to local and statewide media
- Specific guidance during the 2025 evacuation that families could still communicate with incarcerated people via Securus tablets or the telephone system
How to receive information: Monitor the CDOC website, local news, and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. CDOC's release of communication guidance during the Lee Fire suggests families should watch for facility-specific instructions during an active event.
COMMUNICATION DURING DISASTER
Phone and tablet systems: Colorado uses Securus for inmate phone service and tablets. Notably, during the 2025 Lee Fire evacuation, CDOC told families they could still communicate via Securus tablets or the telephone system even after the transfer, which indicates communications were maintained or quickly restored at the receiving facility.
Finding your incarcerated person: Use the CDOC offender search on cdoc.colorado.gov. During an active evacuation, the location may take time to update to the receiving facility.
Visitation: Suspended during evacuation and for a period afterward; resumes once the facility or receiving facility stabilizes.
PERSONAL PROPERTY, ACCOUNTS, COURT DATES
Personal property: In an evacuation, incarcerated people take minimal belongings; most property stays behind and is shipped later (weeks to months), with risk of loss or damage.
Trust/commissary and phone accounts: Balances follow the incarcerated person; access may be briefly interrupted until the receiving facility processes the transfer.
Court and release dates: Release processing may pause during the emergency and resume after stabilization; court dates may be postponed and rescheduled.
CLIMATE AND GEOGRAPHIC VULNERABILITY
A 2023 study by CU Boulder researchers found that 75 percent of Colorado prisons and jails have moderate or high exposure to wildfires, floods, extreme temperatures, or landslides. Colorado's key risks and facilities:
WILDFIRE-VULNERABLE FACILITIES:
- Rifle Correctional Center (Rifle, Garfield County) - minimum-security facility on the western slope; fully evacuated during the 2025 Lee Fire
- Western slope and foothill facilities - exposed to fast-moving wildfires in dry, windy conditions
- Buena Vista Correctional Complex (Chaffee County) - mountain location; served as a receiving facility in 2025
FLOOD-VULNERABLE FACILITIES:
- Delta Correctional Center (Delta County) - evacuated in 2023 due to flood risk
- River-adjacent and burn-scar-area facilities - flood and debris-flow risk
EXTREME TEMPERATURE / WINTER STORM:
- High-plains and mountain facilities - severe winter storms, extreme cold, and extreme summer heat
- Eastern plains facilities (Sterling, Limon, Ordway/Arkansas Valley) - blizzard and extreme weather exposure
NOTE: Colorado's largest concentration of prisons is in and around Cañon City/Fremont County (the "Correctional Capitol"), including Colorado Territorial, Fremont, Centennial, Colorado State Penitentiary, Four Mile, Arrowhead, and Skyline (reopened as "The Beacon"). This cluster is in a foothill/canyon zone with wildfire and flood exposure, but it also provides concentrated receiving capacity for evacuees.
PART 2 - COLORADO COUNTY JAILS DURING DISASTERS
Colorado has 64 counties, each operating a jail under the county sheriff. Jails make their own emergency decisions. The 2023 CU Boulder research that found 75 percent of Colorado prisons and jails have moderate-to-high disaster exposure applies to county jails as well, many of which are in wildfire- and flood-prone areas.
MAJOR COLORADO COUNTY JAIL EXAMPLES:
Denver County Jail (Denver Detention Center / Downtown Detention Center):
- Largest jail system in the state
- Contact: Denver Sheriff Department, 720-913-3600
- Website: denvergov.org/sheriff
El Paso County Jail (Colorado Springs):
- Second-largest metro; foothill wildfire exposure to the west
- Contact: El Paso County Sheriff, 719-390-2000
Jefferson County Jail (Golden):
- Foothills west of Denver; significant wildfire exposure
- Contact: Jefferson County Sheriff, 303-271-5444
Boulder County Jail (Boulder):
- High wildfire exposure (e.g., 2021 Marshall Fire in the county)
- Contact: Boulder County Sheriff, 303-441-3600
For any other Colorado county jail: contact the county sheriff and ask about disaster and evacuation procedures.
PART 3 - FEDERAL BOP FACILITIES IN COLORADO
BOP FACILITIES IN COLORADO
Colorado hosts the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Florence in Fremont County, plus FCI Englewood near Denver:
1. FCC FLORENCE (Fremont County, near Florence) - a complex of four federal facilities:
- ADX Florence (USP Administrative Maximum) - the highest-security federal prison in the U.S., "Alcatraz of the Rockies"; ~405 inmates
- USP Florence High - high security
- FCI Florence - medium security
- FPC Florence - minimum-security camp
- Combined population: over 2,300
- Vulnerability: foothill/high-desert zone; wildfire and extreme weather exposure (same general region as the Cañon City state cluster)
2. FCI ENGLEWOOD (Littleton, near Denver) - low security with camp
- Vulnerability: Front Range location; winter storms, foothill wildfire exposure to the west
BOP EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
BOP operates under federal emergency protocols and can transfer inmates between federal facilities across state lines. Families are notified through the Federal Inmate Locator (typically updated within about 24 hours of a transfer), and Trust Fund accounts follow the inmate.
Note on ADX Florence: As the nation's most secure prison, ADX has stringent security that would heavily shape any emergency response; movements of ADX inmates are extraordinarily controlled.
BOP CONTACT FOR COLORADO FACILITIES
Federal Bureau of Prisons Emergency Operations: 202-307-3198
Inmate Locator: bop.gov/inmateloc/ or inmatelocator.bop.gov
FCC Florence: 719-784-9454
FCI Englewood: 303-985-1566
PART 4 - WHAT FAMILIES SHOULD DO (BEFORE, DURING, AFTER)
BEFORE DISASTER SEASON (WILDFIRE: SUMMER-FALL PEAK, INCREASINGLY YEAR-ROUND; FLOOD: SPRING-SUMMER; WINTER STORMS: WINTER)
Register and update contact information:
- Call the facility and update your phone, email, and mailing address
- Sign up for county emergency alerts where your loved one is housed
- Bookmark the CDOC offender search
Know your incarcerated person's current facility:
- Use the CDOC offender search on cdoc.colorado.gov
- Write down: full name, DOC number, current facility and location
Know receiving facilities:
- Colorado has demonstrated long-distance transfers (Rifle to Buena Vista, ~150 miles)
- The Cañon City/Fremont County cluster and Buena Vista provide receiving capacity
- Ask the facility about its emergency procedures
Set up communication tools:
- Set up a Securus account for phone and tablet communication
- During the 2025 evacuation, CDOC confirmed families could still reach incarcerated people via Securus tablets or telephone after transfer
Create a family emergency communication plan:
- Assign one person to try reaching the incarcerated person first
- Write down CDOC/facility numbers and county emergency contacts
Save account information:
- Securus account details
- Trust/commissary account details
- Copies of legal documents
Understand Colorado's disaster risks:
- Wildfire: peak summer-fall, increasingly year-round; western slope and foothills
- Flood: spring-summer, river valleys and burn-scar areas
- Winter storms/extreme cold: statewide, especially plains and mountains
- 75% of Colorado prisons/jails have moderate-to-high disaster exposure (2023 study)
DURING A DISASTER THREAT
Monitor official sources:
- Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- InciWeb and local sheriff/fire updates for wildfires
- National Weather Service
- CDOC news releases and local news
Do NOT call the facility repeatedly:
- Staff are managing the emergency; lines will be overloaded
- Watch for CDOC facility-specific instructions
DURING THE DISASTER
Do NOT contact the facility:
- Staff are focused on safe evacuation and security
- Watch official channels instead
Monitor official channels only:
- CDOC website and news releases
- Local news
- State/county emergency management
Expect some communication disruption:
- Colorado's recent evacuations maintained communication relatively well, but expect delays during the move and initial processing at the receiving facility
IMMEDIATELY AFTER (WITHIN 24-72 HOURS)
Use the CDOC offender search to confirm location:
- cdoc.colorado.gov
- Allow time for the receiving facility to update
Use Securus to re-establish contact:
- Tablets or telephone, per CDOC guidance during evacuations
Call the facility or CDOC if needed:
- Give full name and DOC number
- Confirm the person is safe and where they are housed
For BOP inmates, use the federal locator:
- bop.gov/inmateloc/ or call 202-307-3198
SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM AFTERMATH
- Expect phone/tablet delays during the transition
- Ask about personal property location, shipping, and any loss
- Verify trust/commissary and Securus balances
- Confirm court and release date status
- Document property loss and file a claim
- Note that wildfire evacuations can last weeks (the 2025 Lee Fire evacuation extended beyond two weeks)
- Provide feedback to CDOC if procedures fell short
PART 5 - HISTORICAL CONTEXT: COLORADO DISASTERS AND PRISONS
2025 LEE FIRE / RIFLE CORRECTIONAL CENTER EVACUATION (AUGUST 2025)
Major western-slope wildfire | August 2025
The Lee Fire, sparked by a lightning strike on August 2, 2025, in Rio Blanco County, spread rapidly through dry fuels driven by high winds. It grew to more than 138,000 acres, becoming one of the largest wildfires in Colorado state history (variously reported as the fourth- to sixth-largest single fire).
What happened:
- As the Lee Fire approached, CDOC began evacuating the Rifle Correctional Center, a 179-person minimum-security facility, on August 9, 2025
- Staff implemented the facility's emergency evacuation plan
- By 10:30 p.m. that night, all 179 incarcerated people had been moved to the Buena Vista Correctional Complex, roughly 150 miles away
- No injuries to incarcerated people or staff
- The evacuation was described as "a proactive measure... out of an abundance of caution"
Family impact:
- CDOC publicly confirmed that families could still communicate with incarcerated people via Securus tablets or the telephone system after the transfer
- The evacuation extended beyond two weeks, with no firm timeframe announced for return
- Because CDOC communicated proactively and maintained contact channels, family disruption was less severe than in states with no evacuation plan
Lessons from the Lee Fire:
- Colorado's facility evacuation plans are real and were executed successfully
- A minimum-security facility could be fully evacuated within hours
- Even a successful evacuation can mean a weeks-long displacement, with property and routine disruption
- Proactive family communication (the Securus guidance) significantly reduces family uncertainty - a model other states could follow
2023 DELTA CORRECTIONAL CENTER FLOOD-RISK EVACUATION (2023)
Flood risk | 2023
In 2023, CDOC evacuated the Delta Correctional Center (Delta County, western slope) because of flood risk. This earlier evacuation, together with the 2025 Lee Fire response, demonstrates that Colorado has repeatedly used facility evacuation as a tool when disasters threaten.
Family impact:
- Inmates were relocated to other facilities while the flood threat persisted
- Demonstrated CDOC's willingness to evacuate proactively for floods, not just fires
Lessons from Delta:
- Flood risk, not only wildfire, drives Colorado prison evacuations
- Western-slope facilities face multiple overlapping hazards
CU BOULDER DISASTER-EXPOSURE RESEARCH (2023)
Academic study | published 2023
Researchers at CU Boulder (including civil engineering professor Shideh Dashti and colleagues) studied the disaster exposure of Colorado's correctional facilities. Key finding: 75 percent of prisons and jails in Colorado have moderate or high exposure to wildfires, floods, extreme temperatures, or landslides.
The research emphasized a core vulnerability of incarcerated people: they cannot choose to leave. As Dashti put it, one of the first things that gives people resilience in an extreme event is the ability to get out of harm's way, and incarcerated people lack that ability, making them dependent on the facility's planning and decisions.
Why it matters:
- It quantifies how widespread disaster exposure is across Colorado's correctional system
- It frames why facility evacuation plans (like the one used at Rifle in 2025) are essential
- It is useful context for families assessing the risk to a loved one's specific facility
BROADER COLORADO DISASTER CONTEXT
Wildfire trend: Colorado's largest wildfires in recorded history have nearly all occurred in recent years, and fires increasingly burn in all seasons. The 2021 Marshall Fire (Boulder County) showed that even Front Range suburban areas face catastrophic fire.
Flood history: Colorado has significant flood history, including the catastrophic September 2013 Front Range floods. Burn-scar areas left by wildfires are especially prone to flash flooding and debris flows in subsequent rains.
Winter and extreme cold: Blizzards and extreme cold affect the eastern plains and mountains, occasionally isolating facilities and disrupting transport and supply.
Emergency management: The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management coordinates statewide disaster response and works with CDOC and county agencies during emergencies.
Colorado's relative strength: Compared with several other states in this series, Colorado stands out for having functional, tested facility evacuation plans and for proactive family communication during the 2025 Lee Fire. This does not eliminate the disruption families face, but it reduces the uncertainty.