Every conversation between backcountry search and rescue volunteers these days seems to start with the crazy weather Colorado is having – the winter that wasn’t, the drought conditions, and the high temperature records being broken on a weekly basis. And lurking beneath it all, the fear that we will see our worst wildfire season on record in 2026.
If you’re planning a hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, camping or any other outdoor recreation trip this spring or summer, what do you need to know about wildfire danger?
Start with a solid trip plan
Trip planning means doing your homework on the route you plan to take and leaving details with a responsible person back home who can report you overdue if you don’t return by your planned time. As part of your homework, check the DFPC’s Wildland Fire Status Dashboard and/or the Bureau of Land Management’s Fire Information Dashboard and make sure you have complete situational awareness of any active wildfires that might be in the region of your planned outing. Find out how to sign up for emergency alerts in the county(ies) you will be traveling in here. Be aware, however, that if you are out of cell service, you will not receive alerts. Your research and trip planning process should include finding out whether you’ll have cell service or not. If you won’t, it’s always a good idea to consider carrying a two-way satellite communications device such as a Garmin inReach or a Zoleo Satellite Communicator.
A good trip plan should always include:
- Details about you and the others in the group, including names, ages, phone numbers, vehicle descriptions and license plate numbers for each vehicle
- Significant medical conditions
- Level of backcountry experience
- Details about the trip, including the planned parking spot and route(s) the party will take, what time the group plans to start, and when they will be back in touch
- Possible alternative routes if a weather or fire event causes you to make changes to the plan
- The gear you have with you
- If applicable, a satellite messenger address
Be prepared for sudden changes
No matter how thorough your trip plan, conditions can change at a moment’s notice. Prepare for possible hot, dry, windy conditions on your trip. Keep your eyes open and your head on a swivel for signs of changing weather conditions or a nearby wildfire. If you see incoming weather or smoke, it doesn’t matter what your pre-trip research says; prepare and respond to what you see happening in the moment. Learn how to make the perfect 911 call from the backcountry here, and note that you can sometimes text 911 when you don’t have enough cell service to make a call. If you have to change the route you’ve detailed in your trip plan, be sure to notify your trip plan person back home.
Don’t be part of the problem
As you plan your route, check the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control website for fire restrictions and keep checking it right up to your departure date. “We expect fire restrictions to start early this year,” says Tracy LeClair, public information officer for DFPC.
Regardless of fire restrictions in the area, consider whether you really need a campfire this year, or even a camp stove. A jetboil can be a perfectly good substitute. If campfires are not prohibited and you decide to have one, be sure your fire is completely out before you leave the campsite.
Every year, on average, human-caused wildfires account for approximately 85% of wildfires in the United States. Though most of these fires are caused by accidents, many of them can be prevented. Educate yourself on how you can prevent wildfires and mitigate the impacts of wildfires on your community.
As a backcountry recreationists, you may also get the opportunity to be a help to the firefighters. Lorena Williams, public affairs officer for the San Juan National Forest, says, “The majority of fires on the San Juan National Forest and many other high-country places are started by lightning, and the Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch receives a large percentage of initial reports of fires from backcountry recreationists. Should you encounter a wildfire, please call 911 to report the location, estimated size, description of the smoke, whether it’s spreading, and whether it’s moving in the direction of people, homes or powerlines.”
To learn more
In 2020, hikers were trapped by a wildfire on the popular Ice Lakes Trail. Read more here to learn what they did right during the evacuation process, and how to increase your chances of survival if the worst should happen.
Learn more here about how to react to a wildfire in the backcountry from the Pacific Crest Trail Association.
