Fire is transforming the US West’s public lands – research shows overlooked cost to recreation

Wildfires in Colorado are reshaping landscapes and visitor habits.

By: Kyle Manley, University of Colorado Boulder, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 6, 2026

Words: 1,458

Last Updated: 2 months, 3 weeks ago

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By Kyle Manley, University of Colorado Boulder

Colorado’s two largest fires on record, the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires, burned hundreds of thousands of acres across some of the state’s most visited landscapes in 2020.

The fires scorched trails, campgrounds and beloved ecosystems in and around Rocky Mountain National Park and the Arapahoe and Roosevelt national forests.

More than five years later, the scars remain stark: blackened hillsides, closed …

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