Overview
- Gov. Jared Polis, in a Thursday briefing, said the Front Range and western Colorado face a significantly higher fire risk in June and July due to drought and record‑low snowpack.
- State leaders project up to 8,000 fires in 2026, above the usual 6,000 to 7,000, and expect about 95% of Colorado to be in some level of drought early this summer.
- Officials said Colorado has added helicopters, air tankers, aircraft, engines, and ground crews to speed detection and attack, after multiple early‑year fires already drew major retardant drops.
- With Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona also running dry, the state does not expect to share its planes and helicopters and may have to compete for federal resources.
- Roughly 90% of wildfires start from human activity, so the state named May wildfire awareness month and urged steps like clearing defensible space, which helped stop a February fire near homes in Elizabeth.