Peaks to People Water Fund

06/16/2026

Multiple treatments are the key to resilient Western forests

In recent decades, wildfires have become more damaging—and costly. But Western forests weren’t always this vulnerable. A century ago, frequent low-intensity fires kept these dry forests open, healthy, and resilient. So, how do we get back to healthy forests where fire plays its natural role, rather than threatening our communities, our water, and the places we love? Enjoy this wonderful short film from U.S. Forest Service to find out!
https://youtu.be/AHPsWl85nhU

In western forests, multiple treatments are often needed to return ...

06/01/2026

What if the best way to save taxpayer dollars wasn’t fighting bigger wildfires — but preventing them in the first place? 🔥🌲

New research shows that every $1 invested in fuel reduction and prescribed fire can prevent nearly $4 in wildfire-related damages, from smoke impacts to property loss. Controlled burns reduced burned area by 36% across studied fires in the West — proving proactive forest management works.

At Peaks to People, we know prescribed fire is more than a tool — it’s an investment in healthier forests, safer communities, cleaner air, and long-term resilience. The choice isn’t between fire or no fire. It’s between planned fire now or more severe fires later.

https://grist.org/solutions/how-controlled-burns-can-help-save-taxpayers-billions/

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New research shows every $1 the U.S. Forest Service spent to minimize wildfire risk prevented nearly $4 in damages.

05/28/2026

Protecting Northern Colorado’s water starts upstream—and the best investments begin with the best information. Peaks to People’s updated Watershed Investment Tool 3.0 uses the latest wildfire science, local data, and improved modeling to help identify where forest treatments can have the greatest impact for protecting drinking water supplies.

This update gives us a clearer picture of wildfire risk across the Big Thompson and Cache la Poudre watersheds—and helps ensure every dollar invested moves us closer to stronger forests, safer communities, and more resilient water supplies.

Read our latest blog to learn how WIT 3.0 is helping Peaks to People invest where it matters most.

Peaks to People’s WIT 3.0 uses the latest wildfire science to target forest investments that protect Northern Colorado’s drinking water.

05/28/2026

Learning from a great panel tonight at the Rialto Theater after the Fire Lives Here screening. Thanks to everyone who came out tonight!

05/26/2026

Rain, cold, and mountain weather didn’t stop this group from showing up for watershed resilience.

Last week, Peaks to People Water Fund helped host a field tour at MacGregor Ranch in Estes Park as part of the WCCN Confluence. Together with partners from across the Big Thompson watershed, participants explored how collaborative, landscape-scale wildfire mitigation and forest health work is moving from planning to action.

MacGregor Ranch provided a powerful setting to see this work on the ground — from forest management and community engagement to riverscape restoration and source water protection. The day was a reminder that reducing wildfire risk takes more than one project or one organization. It takes trusted partnerships, shared priorities, and coordinated investment.

A huge thank you to everyone who braved the cold and rain to learn, share, and connect in this beautiful place.



Larimer Conservation District Estes Valley Watershed Coalition Colorado State Forest Service Larimer County Office of Emergency Management Estes Valley Fire Protection District MacGregor Ranch

05/22/2026

Get the whole family involved in protecting your home from wildfire by doing a Scavenger Hunt. Use this card to identify ways you can reduce your risk from wildfire.

05/19/2026

Show your neighbors you care by giving the gift of . This sheet of coupons is a good way to start a conversation with your neighbors and protecting your entire community from wildfire. Together, we can

05/15/2026

Living with wildfire means being prepared and aware. Visit LiveWildfireReady.org to make sure you’re ready if a wildfire occurs.

05/14/2026

Peaks to People Water Fund in collaboration with Big Thompson Watershed Coalition, the Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative, the National Forest Foundation, and the U.S. Forest Service-Arapaho & Roosevelt Natl Forests Pawnee Natl Grassland, are offering a film screening of “Fire Lives Here”. This powerful documentary explores Colorado’s evolving relationship with wildfire and the growing movement to return planned fire to the landscape as a strategy to reduce the risk of destructive fires and create more resilient forests.

Filmed over two years across Colorado’s Front Range, Fire Lives Here goes beyond the flames to showcase the year-round work of firefighters, scientists, land managers, and local communities working to return controlled fire back to Colorado’s forests. Directed by Aaron Colussi and Left of Frame, the film showcases the coordinated planning, implementation, and preparation involved in prescribed fire—and examines the effects of the Alexander Mountain Fire as it moved through areas that had undergone forest treatments. The film screening will be followed by a panel with local experts and land managers to discuss building resilience across our landscapes and the role fire plays in this work.

Tickets available at The Rialto: https://tickets.rialtotheatercenter.org/orderticketsarea.asp?p=225&a=28&src=defaul