Western Newsroom

The 2026 wildfire season is shaping up to start earlier and burn more intensely across the West, driven by record-low snowpack, rapid snowmelt, and ongoing drought conditions. Forecasts show above-average fire potential across Colorado and the broader region, reinforcing research from Western Colorado University that links early snow loss to larger, more severe wildfires and underscores the need for proactive land and fire management.

New research from Western Colorado University shows that low snowpack years don’t just lead to earlier and larger wildfire seasons—they also result in more high-severity fires that kill living trees and threaten long-term forest regeneration. The study highlights how reduced snow storage dries forests earlier, increasing the likelihood of ecosystem transformation and reinforcing the need for proactive forest management strategies across the West.

A new report from CBC News highlights growing scientific evidence that declining snowpack is not only extending wildfire seasons but making fires more severe by drying soils and vegetation earlier in the year. The findings align closely with research from Western Colorado University, reinforcing how reduced snow storage is emerging as a critical driver of high-severity wildfire risk across the Rocky Mountain West.