This winter, Leadville became the canary in the coal mine.
Historically, the average annual snowfall there is 142 inches. This winter, it was roughly 69 inches.
Snowpack is a lifesaver. Without it, forests dry out, vegetation becomes kindling and wildfires become even more dangerous. It’s no surprise that the Leadville community is now confronting one of the many fires burning across Colorado.
What’s especially concerning is that climate change is driving more frequent and more intense wildfires. In the 1990s, Colorado averaged 13 wildfires annually, with about 1,100 acres burned per fire. By the 2020s, that number climbed to 72 wildfires a year, with more than 1,700 acres burned per fire.
We know we can’t prevent every wildfire. But to meet this new reality, local, state and federal governments as well as citizens, must work together.
Disasters should never be political. As mayor and later governor, I watched Democratic and Republican administrations work together to deliver disaster relief. That’s how the government should work. Unfortunately, that’s not what we’re seeing today.
In the late summer of 2025, one of the largest wildfires in Colorado history ripped through Rio Blanco County, leaving homes, utilities and livelihoods in ruin. The state filed a Major Disaster Declaration requesting federal assistance to help those from the Lee fire and prevent future tragedies. The Trump administration, out of pure political spite, denied Colorado’s request, putting retribution ahead of recovery.
Wildfires can engulf any community. They don’t care how you voted. Neither should disaster relief.
The Aspen Acres fire, which is the seventh-largest wildfire in Colorado history, will almost certainly yield a Major Disaster Declaration. When it does, we will fight the administration hard for the relief that Colorado needs and deserves. At the same time, we’ll keep pushing the administration for post-fire hazard mitigation funding so communities can prepare for flooding and other risks that follow major fires.
Colorado is experiencing its worst drought in 1,200 years. And while we know every fire cannot be attributed to climate change, scientists widely agree that it is making a bad problem worse.
That’s one reason we passed the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate in American history. The bill contained $4 billion for the Colorado River Basin and $8 billion for western water infrastructure.
Last year, the administration froze over $150 million in already-obligated funding for 17 Colorado water and drought resiliency projects. We’ve pushed the administration to release roughly two-thirds of that money, and won’t stop pressing until Colorado communities get every penny they deserve.
For decades, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder has provided weather, climate, and wildfire forecasting that help firefighters and emergency managers. We’re pushing to protect NCAR and ensure our state and country are better equipped to respond to future disasters.
As firefighters battle today’s wildfires, we must do more to reduce the risk of tomorrow’s blazes. That starts with treating climate change like the existential emergency that it is, but there are other important steps we can take, too. Overgrown forests allow fires to spread farther, faster. Yet all too often, red tape makes it harder to put projects on the ground to reduce wildfire risk before disaster happens.
We’ve introduced the Fix Our Forests Act, which would help streamline forest management while creating a Wildfire Intelligence Center to accelerate new technologies for wildfire prevention, detection and response. The bill has already passed through committee. The full Senate should finish the job and pass it.
While local, state and federal government partners are key to fighting wildfires, they are only one part of the solution. Nine out of 10 wildfires are caused by people. This summer, it’s especially important that we all follow local fire restrictions, practice campfire safety and create defensible space to protect our homes from wildfires.
We also need to help our communities recover. Encourage your friends to visit Colorado. Support local small businesses that are reeling after a warm winter hurt tourism. And if you or your family are affected by a wildfire, my office has compiled a list of available resources here, and we are standing ready to help.
The past month has been a painful reminder of the incredible risks and sacrifices our heroic firefighters make every day.
On June 27, Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson and Sydney Watson put on their uniforms and rushed toward danger to protect lives and property in Western Colorado. Those three firefighters made the ultimate sacrifice, and they — along with their colleagues who are still recovering and the brave firefighting pilot who was killed in Gunnison County this weekend — represent the very best of our country.
We owe them more than gratitude. We owe it to them to work together to find solutions that make everyone safer.
John Hickenlooper is a U.S. senator from Colorado. He served as Denver mayor from 2003-11 and Colorado governor from 2011-19.
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Type of Story: Opinion
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
