The Challenge

Northern Colorado’s forests are changing. The risk to our communities is growing.

Our mountain forests do more than frame the landscape. They filter and store the water we drink, sustain rivers and wildlife habitat, support recreation and tourism, and protect communities downstream.

But warmer temperatures, prolonged dry periods, dense forest conditions, insect outbreaks, and more severe wildfire behavior are changing how our forests function. When forests become unhealthy, the impacts do not stay in the mountains. They move through rivers, reservoirs, infrastructure, neighborhoods, businesses, and local economies.

We have already seen the consequences

Nearly 80% of the water used by Front Range communities originates in forested watersheds, making healthy forests essential to Northern Colorado’s water future.

Our region has experienced the impacts of severe wildfire firsthand. The 2012 High Park Fire burned nearly 90,000 acres, destroyed 259 homes, and sent ash, sediment, and debris into the Cache la Poudre River. In 2020, the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires burned more than 400,000 acres combined, damaging critical source watersheds on both sides of the Continental Divide. In 2024, the Alexander Mountain Fire burned nearly 10,000 acres near the Big Thompson Canyon, once again reminding us that wildfire risk is immediate, local, and growing.

The cost of wildfire extends far beyond suppression

The costs of wildfire continue long after the flames are extinguished. Post-fire flooding, erosion, and debris can impair water quality, damage infrastructure, increase drinking water treatment costs, and threaten communities for years.

$614 million

The 2020 East Troublesome and Cameron Peak fires together generated an estimated $614 million in insured losses.

*Does not include the full cost of watershed recovery, infrastructure repair, emergency response, water quality impacts, or long-term damage to forests, rivers, and reservoirs.

$228 million

After the 2020 fires, Northern Colorado partners identified a $228 million recovery funding gap for work in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.

We cannot prevent every wildfire—nor should we. Fire is a natural part of healthy forest ecosystems. But we can reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and protect the watersheds our communities depend on. Proactive mitigation saves between $6 and $13 for every $1 invested, without it Colorado could face $1–2 billion annually in losses.

Investing in forest health before disaster strikes is one of the most effective ways to build resilient forests, safeguard clean water, and reduce the long-term costs of wildfire.