Forests, Fires, & People: The Historic Fires of 2020
Presented by the Center for Collaborative Conservation and The Institute for Science and Policy
Sponsored by Gates Family Foundation
Watch the full episode

Colorado’s three largest fires in recorded history all occurred in 2020, collectively burning more than 625,000 acres while damaging homes and costing lives. Our changing climate suggests that this devastating year may have been a glimpse into the future. Decades of population growth in the wildland-urban interface combined with changes in regulatory policies and forestry practices have left the region vulnerable to more destructive blazes, leaving policymakers and scientists with a challenging question: What have we learned, and what decisions might we consider in the future to protect ourselves and our forests? 

Our four-part wildfire webinar series continues Monday, March 29 at 5 p.m. MT when we welcome Jen Kovecses, Executive Director of the Coalition for Poudre River Watershed, Russ Schumacher, Colorado State Climatologist and Director of the Colorado Climate Center; and Monte Williams, Forest Supervisor for the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland. They’ll explore the root causes and deeply personal impacts of 2020’s fires, provide firsthand accounts of the recovery, and then consider possible paths forward. Audience members are invited to send questions to the panelists in advance or live during the broadcast for potential inclusion in the discussion. 

Forests, Fires, and People is presented by the Institute for Science and Policy and the Center for Collaborative Conservation, in partnership with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, the Southern Rockies Fire Science Network, the Colorado State Forest Service, and the Climate Adaptation Partnership. The episodes will also be livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube.