Many forests in Colorado are overstocked with dead and dying trees and an overload of understory wood and vegetation. When these forests burn, they burn intensely, often spreading over large swaths of steep, rugged terrain very quickly. These fires leave large sections of upper watersheds with no vegetation to absorb rainfall. When it rains, the water rolls off scorched soils, carrying burned trees, top soil, rocks and other material down steep grades in post-fire floods which can threaten life, safety, property and infrastructure. These intensely burned areas are slow to regenerate, making recovery difficult for landowners, communities, agricultural and recreational interests, and wildlife habitat.

Local response and timely intervention can help mitigate some of fire's negative impacts on communities and the landscape and help speed healing of both. Resources are often available after a fire from federal, state and county governments and nonprofit watershed health organizations. Projects are most successful when the local community, through a local nonprofit, is involved in recovery decisions from the start. Safety is of utmost importance during the fire and when post-fire flooding hits, which can be immediately following a fire during the first rain and remain a threat for many years. Education, awareness and preparedness is the first line of defense.