Peaks To People Water Fund

After years of protection from wildfire, Colorado’s forests have become dense and overgrown, increasing the risk of severe wildfires that threaten water supplies with sedimentation and debris. As we saw in June 2012, when the High Park fire burned nearly 90,000 acres west of Fort Collins, our drinking water was impacted by sedimentation from the fire, affecting communities and businesses that depend on clean water. The fire also caused over $113 million in insured losses, millions more in fire suppression and disaster relief costs, and impacts to commerce and tourism. Keeping our watersheds healthy means much more than simply having clean water to drink.

We will treat 90% of the feasible wildfire risk to the Big Thompson watershed over the next 10 years. Through leveraged funds and new funds, we will invest $70 million over the next 10 years to restore our forests to their natural state and reduce the risk of severe wildfires. Guided by sophisticated tools, Peaks to People has identified the locations for treatment based on the greatest potential risk reduction. Additionally, each treatment site is monitored before and after the treatment to accurately measure the results.