Prior to this week, the last time the U.S. Drought Monitor reported that 100 percent of Colorado was experiencing drought was December 28, 2021 – the same week as Boulder County’s Marshall Fire, which killed two people, torched more than 1,000 homes, and caused more than $2 billion in damages to become the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history. In that December 2021 report, the Drought Severity and Coverage Index (DSCI) score was rated at 289 – this week, that score was rated at 366.

While April brought cooler and wetter conditions to Colorado compared to what was seen in March, drought still worsened in recent weeks. A month ago, roughly 89 percent of the state was experiencing drought and it’s since been a steady climb to 100 percent with one of the last holdouts being El Paso County. That’s not to say there’s no good news – while overall drought has increased, the state did actually see it’s first week-over-week drop in its DSCI score since mid-February – it fell by a single point and remains 196 points higher than it was after that February drop, but that’s still a shift worth noting. This small drop was due to some of the state’s most severe drought easing slightly (22 percent of the state was at ‘drought stage four’ last week compared to 18 percent this week).

There’s no doubt about it – as drought continues, wildfire risk will remain a very serious threat in Colorado. Perhaps most problematic is that much of Colorado’s most severe drought is found in rugged terrain of counties like Pitkin, Eagle, Summit, Grand, and Routt – all spots known for attracting outdoor recreators… or in other words, people participating in backcountry activities that tend to bring fire risk. Remember, around 85 percent of wildland fires are human-caused, per the National Park Service.

In terms of human-caused fire risk in the backcountry, it’s important to note that many fire starts are unintentional – often the result of ignorance or a lack of attention. While campers might put a fire out, they might not do so until the ash is cool to the touch, thus wind can whip through a day later and spread hot embers into the surrounding terrain. A hot vehicle might be parked on tall grass after a long trip to the trailhead, creating a spark. Or a glass bottle inconveniently placed can serve as a magnifying glass, concentrating sunlight to the point where it starts a blaze. Of course, there’s plenty of irresponsible behavior that seems to take place regardless of whatever safety messaging is present, too.

Looking ahead, the National Weather Service is calling for the likelihood of wetter-than-normal conditions in Colorado through at least May 22. Coloradans should keep their fingers crossed that this expectation comes to fruition and that this trend continues.

With summer on the horizon, it will be absolutely crucial for the state’s outdoor recreators to keep fire safety at top of mind. Find tips related to fire safety here.

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