Colorado wildfire outlook for June, July a concern for state and fire officials
State leaders joined firefighters to deliver the 2026 Wildfire Outlook and Preparedness Plan for Colorado Thursday.
"We are facing increased risk this coming year for June and July — significantly increased risk in the Front Range and western Colorado," said Gov. Jared Polis, who headlined the event at the headquarters of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control at the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield.
It comes as nearly all of the state is in drought conditions and the state's snowpack at a record low.
Polis is well acquainted with fire.
"In my time as governor, we have seen the three largest wildfires in the history of our state in the summer of 2020. And of course the most destructive fire in the history of our state a few miles from here," he said, referencing the 2021 Marshall Fire.
Officials asked people to be cautious, noting that only 7% of wildfires in the state are caused by lightning, and over 90% of fires are the result of some human action or inaction.
Polis and emergency officials as well as fire leaders talked about changes over the years in attacking fires.
"Our capacity and capability to do early detection, rapid decision making and aggressive initial attack, was absolutely nothing like it is today," said Mike Morgan, executive director of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
Attacking fires quickly in recent years has meant immediate large response to fires and the more frequent deployment of air resources. The state has added aircraft of its own in the past decade to supplement leased air assets. Agreements have meant interagency cooperation and calling upon of resources belonging to state and federal agencies by local fire departments.
Morgan noted how local fire bosses can request assets to help scale up initial responses, and the state will now cover those costs.
"That enhanced state assistance program last year, we had 193 circumstances where we provided that assistance to 42 counties across the state of Colorado."
Stan Hilkey with Colorado Department of Public Safety told CBS Colorado, in 2025 alone, there were 830 flight missions.
The components that are still unknown include the willingness of the Trump administration to declare disaster areas in the aftermath of incidents. It follows the administration's move earlier this month to deny disaster declarations for the Elk and Lee fires in Rio Blanco County.
"We are always going to step up and do what what we need to do and protect people's property and lives, and we hope that that federal partnership comes back," Polis said.
Polis also talked about helping homeowners get credit for mitigation work.
"You take down trees next to your home; you should see the benefit of that on your homeowners insurance. Likewise if you are failing to do that work, you would see elevated rates," the governor said.
Polis says he is working with the state's insurance commissioner to help people mitigate and get credit with their insurance, with a goal of reducing bills on average by $800 by the end of next year.
