BlockBefore

Rangely, Colorado

14 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1907 and the latest in 1979. It stands in the Rangely census division. It lies in ZIP code area 81648. It lies near Dead Dog Draw. The Survey maps it on the Rangely quadrangle. 2,299 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 5,297 feet above sea level.

Rangely within Rio Blanco County

Population over time

3 figures

Rangely grew from 2,096 to 2,299 between 2000 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20002,096
20102,365+269 (+13%)
20202,299-66 (-3%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

7 surveys from 14 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

130 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 130 fires within 5 miles of Rangely between 1992 and 2020, burning about 19,270 acres in total. 67 started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Natural67
Missing data/not specified/undetermined37
Equipment and vehicle use15
Power generation/transmission/distribution5
Recreation and ceremony3
Arson/incendiarism1
Fireworks1
Debris and open burning1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
9 September 2017Naturalunder an acreRangely Rural Fire Protection DistrictUNKNOWN
9 September 2017Naturalunder an acreRangely Rural Fire Protection DistrictUNKNOWN
9 September 2017Naturalunder an acreNorthwest District, CraigFILES
9 September 2015Power generation/transmission/distributionunder an acreNorthwest District, CraigCAMEL RIDGE
8 September 1999Power generation/transmission/distribution8.0 acresNorthwest District, CraigHAIRPIN
7 September 1995Naturalunder an acreNorthwest District, CraigGILLIAM
4 September 1995Naturalunder an acreNorthwest District, CraigJACKS BOOT
29 September 2019Missing data/not specified/undetermined44 acresNorthwest District, CraigCOLUMBINE PARK

Every fire recorded in Rio Blanco County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 11 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 11 workings within 5 miles of Rangely: 6 unknowns, 5 occurrences. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Fire Clay (Refractory). Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
UnknownFire Clay (Refractory)Occurrence
UnknownFire Clay (Refractory)Occurrence
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrenceGravel
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrenceGravel
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
Unknown Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Unknown Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Unknown Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Unknown Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Unknown Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown

Every working recorded in Rio Blanco County

Storms near this place

48 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Rangely in 48 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 13 flash flood, 12 wildfire, 9 thunderstorm wind, 6 heavy rain. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
September 1997HailRangely$1,000,000no account filed
September 1997Thunderstorm WindRangely$150,000no account filed
June 2011Thunderstorm WindRangely$100,000A microburst initially struck the ground about a quarter mile southwest of the Northwest Colorado Community College Campus and spread out generally to the northeast from that point. A significant portion of a roof on North Nichols Residence Hall was lifted up and blown completely over the structure. Debris from North Nichols Residence Hall was found up to a quarter mile away on the northeast end of the campus. A dozen mature Russian Olive trees on the campus were uprooted, and large limbs and branches were snapped off many other trees. One of the uprooted trees fell against the CNCC presidents house, causing some damage to the roof. Other wind damage to property on the CNCC campus was observed during the NWS storm survey. Further away from the CNCC campus, additional wind damage also occurred, although it was generally a little less destructive than the CNCC damage, with estimated wind gusts ranging from 55 to 70 mph. There was an observed wind speed measurement of 54 knots (62 mph) from the AWOS at the Rangely Airport (4V0) where a section of wooden fence was blown down and a swamp cooler blown from the roof of the terminal. Many trees within the town of Rangely were uprooted or lost large limbs or branches. A few trees were snapped off a few feet above the ground, including ash trees with trunk bases generally ranging from 6 to 10 inches in diameter. A wood frame carport was ripped off an apartment building on East Main Street. A large trampoline in the northeast part of Rangely was blown into the air and landed about 75 yards away in a neighbors yard, while a 400 pound water tank was blown across a road.
August 2009HailRangely$10,000Golf ball sized hail struck the town of Rangely. Minor damage was reported, including shingle damage, dents in cars and a few broken windows.
September 1997Flash FloodRangely$3,000no account filed
September 1997Flash FloodRangely$2,000no account filed
August 1997Flash FloodRangely$1,000no account filed
May 1994Thunderstorm WindRangely$500no account filed
October 2025Debris FlowRangely-Heavy rain resulted in a rock slide on Douglas Pass along Highway 139 at mile marker 33, 29 miles north of Loma, Colorado. Highway 139 closed at 531 MST.
May 2023HailRangely-Hail estimated to be one inch in diameter fell near Rangely.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindRangely-A peak wind gust of 58 mph was measured by the Dragon Road automated weather station.
August 2017Funnel CloudRangely-A short-lived funnel cloud was observed by a traveler who was driving south on Highway 139.
August 2014Flash FloodRangely-Fllash flooding was reported along Highway 139, which was closed along a section south of Rangely due to fast moving water and debris over the roadway.
August 2010Heavy RainRangely-Heavy rainfall caused minor flooding to occur over low water crossings along Highway 64 near Rangely.
August 2008Flash FloodRangely-Rushing water up to 3 feet deep was roaring down normally dry drainages south of Rangely.
September 2007Heavy RainRangely-Heavy rain producing thunderstorms caused minor flooding in a number of locations along Highway 64 between Rangely and Meeker.
September 2007Heavy RainRangely-Rainfall of .60 inches fell in 20 minutes.
October 2006Flash FloodRangely-Runoff from heavy rain caused water, mud, and debris to flow across Highway 139 between mile markers 54 and 55. It was estimated that water and debris was about 12 inches deep across the highway making it impassable. When flood waters receded, mud and rock about 6 inches in depth covered a 50 foot stretch of the highway. |
September 2006Heavy RainRangely-no account filed
July 2004Flash FloodRangely-no account filed
July 2004Heavy RainRangely-no account filed
July 2004Heavy RainRangely-no account filed
July 2003WildfireRangely-no account filed
August 2003WildfireRangely-no account filed
August 2002WildfireRangely-no account filed
July 2002WildfireRangely-no account filed
September 2002Thunderstorm WindRangely-no account filed
September 2002Thunderstorm WindRangely-no account filed
August 2002Thunderstorm WindRangely-no account filed
May 2001Thunderstorm WindRangely-no account filed
July 2000WildfireRangely-no account filed
July 2000Thunderstorm WindRangely-no account filed
July 2000WildfireRangely-no account filed
August 2000WildfireRangely-no account filed
August 2000WildfireRangely-no account filed
July 2000WildfireRangely-no account filed
July 2000WildfireRangely-no account filed
May 1999WildfireRangely-no account filed
November 1998Funnel CloudRangely-no account filed
May 1998Funnel CloudRangely-no account filed
July 1998WildfireRangely-no account filed
June 1997Flash FloodRangely-no account filed
June 1997Flash FloodRangely-no account filed
June 1997Flash FloodRangely-no account filed
September 1997Funnel CloudRangely-no account filed
September 1997Flash FloodRangely-no account filed
September 1997Flash FloodRangely-no account filed
September 1997Flash FloodRangely-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Rio Blanco County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Angora13.6 miles12
White River City30.8 miles11
Meeker47.4 miles16
Rio Blanco51.5 miles18
Thornburgh59.3 miles17
Buford63.3 miles17

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on RangelyAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q2019434The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 171670. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.