Learn about how drought impacts the way wildfires start and spread in Colorado

Dry weather periods are expected in Colorado, and wildfires tend to be worse during these times.

Chad Julian at the Colorado State Forest Service explained that in years like 2026 when drought conditions are particularly extreme, the fuels in Colorado's forested areas are "more receptive to burning."

"When we get into those drier periods, it dries out the dead fuels and the live fuels that are green," he said. "The green vegetation gets more stressed when we're in drought, and then it's more receptive to burning, even though it's green."

"So in the drought years, we get more widespread fire, and the fires that then do occur tend to grow bigger because the fuels are drier and allow it."

Julian said that above-average temperatures in drought years like 2026 also make firefighting more difficult across the state.