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Colorado: Governor Polis Shares Information on Pine Beetle Outbreak, Announces New Task Force to Help Communities, Forests, and Water Resources

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Governor Polis, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fire Prevention and Control, Colorado State Forest Service, U.S. Forest Service, and Local Governments Come Together to Take Action

EVERGREEN - Today, Governor Jared Polis, joined by forestry experts, local leaders, and partners across key sectors, shared information on the major pine beetle outbreak taking hold in the Front Range and took Executive Action in announcing the creation of a new task force designed to protect Colorado forests and communities from the impact the mountain pine beetle will have, particularly on Colorado's Front Range ponderosa forests, over the next decade. The task force created by this action will develop strategies to help protect Colorado communities, critical water resources and forests, support Colorado's outdoor recreation economy, and enhance fire mitigation and response efforts. In addition to the task force, the Governor will seek to extend and boost key wildfire mitigation and beetle kill tax incentives, as well as seek funding for critical wildfire mitigation, community outreach, and research needs, and resources to draw larger federal funding streams.

"Colorado has long been a leader in forest health and fire mitigation efforts, and this is no exception. As the latest outbreak of pine beetles begins to take shape along the densely populated Front Range, we are taking an aggressive approach to boost tools and partnerships to help protect our communities, forests, and key water sources, and equipping homeowners with the resources they need to better protect their homes. I am grateful to our local partners, foresters, and leaders across sectors for helping us take action on this issue," said Governor Polis.

"I'm grateful to Governor Polis for creating the Ponderosa Mountain Pine Beetle Task Force, and as the Ranking Member on the U.S. House Subcommittee on Federal Lands am grateful for the opportunity to work together to save Colorado's treasured forests. Hotter and drier climates, along with the year-round threat of wildfires, have weakened our trees' natural defenses — as we are now witnessing across the Front Range — and we must act decisively to manage and ameliorate the impacts of spiking pine beetle populations to improve forest health," said Congressman Neguse.

"In Colorado, our public lands are core to who we are, and protecting them is critical to our way of life," said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen. "Mountain pine beetles have devastated millions of acres of forest across our state, increasing the risk of wildfires and threatening the health of our forests. I'm glad to see Governor Polis taking action to address this growing threat and protect our forests so future generations can continue to enjoy Colorado's outdoor spaces for years to come."

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A map of bark beetle spread along Colorado front range from U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The task force will be co-chaired by the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, the Colorado State Forester, and the Director of the Division of Fire Prevention and Control, with a 20-organization membership which will seek to include representation across critical sectors and partners including local governments, utilities, recreation and tourism, insurance, housing, conservation experts, timber and milling sectors, wildfire and emergency management professionals, federal partners, and philanthropy, among others.

"This mountain pine beetle outbreak is emerging in one of the most heavily populated, heavily recreated regions of Colorado. This task force ensures we are coordinating action across agencies, landowners, industries, and communities to respond quickly and prepare for the long-term realities of changed ponderosa pine forests, addressing wildfire risk and watershed impacts facing the Front Range," said Dan Gibbs, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.

"We have learned a lot in the past two decades about what to expect from mountain pine beetle outbreaks, and we will apply those lessons to this outbreak in the ponderosa pine. Our commitment is to address the full problem: treating the forests, building resilient communities, and ensuring our fire response is the best in the nation," said Mike Morgan, Director of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.

To complement the work of the task force, the Governor will also submit a supplemental request of recommended actions to the legislature aimed at reducing wildfire risk, supporting landowners and saving them money on risk mitigation investments, and strengthening Colorado's long-term response to the pine beetle outbreak. These proposals include tax incentives to expand the use of beetle-kill timber, enhanced support for homeowners conducting fire mitigation, innovative research on managing the beetle population, expanding collaboration with federal partners through Good Neighbor Authority, and new tools to accelerate forest health work across public and private lands. Further details on these proposals will be included in the Governor's January 2 budget submission and supplemental requests.

Aerial forest health surveys conducted in 2025 by the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado State Forest Service reveal a significant and expanding mountain pine beetle outbreak in ponderosa pine forests up and down the Front Range, with pockets of brown and beetle-killed trees already visible along the U.S. 285 and I-70 corridors. Warmer temperatures, ongoing drought, and the absence of sustained cold periods have weakened trees and created ideal conditions for beetle survival and spread - conditions expected to continue into the next decade.

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State officials have emphasized that early action is essential to reducing long-term fire risk and maintaining and improving insurability in the state. Beetle-killed trees create hazards for firefighters, hikers, utility providers, and local infrastructure. As mortality increases, standing dead timber can intensify fire behavior, threaten transportation corridors, and complicate suppression operations. Many of the most vulnerable areas are located near densely populated communities within the Front Range foothills, where fire risk intersects with homes, businesses, and critical public utilities.

"Bark beetle outbreaks are not new to Colorado. We've been here before, and we know what works. This task force will strengthen partnerships and ensure science-based management guides our response in support of communities across the state. This is not a time to panic. It's a time to ramp up and take action to reduce the impacts of this outbreak and ensure we never allow our forests to become this vulnerable ever again," said Matthew McCombs, State Forester and Director of the Colorado State Forest Service.

"The Forest Service is committed to working collaboratively with our partners across Colorado to improve forest health conditions at the landscape level and reduce the impact of expanding mountain pine beetle populations," said Troy Heithecker, regional forester for the U.S. Forest Service's Rocky Mountain Region.

The task force will coordinate across state, local, federal, private, and nonprofit partners to advance urgent and long-term strategies. Its scope includes:
  • Improving cross-jurisdictional collaboration to advance innovative and solution-oriented partnerships, and address risks posed by beetle-killed trees and fuel mitigation.
  • Developing public education tools for homeowners and communities.
  • Evaluating strategies to protect watersheds and utility infrastructure.
  • Protecting the region's outdoor recreation and tourism infrastructure and economies.
  • Advancing reforestation planning and forest health through species and age diversity.
  • Strengthening wildfire detection, suppression, and recovery innovation.
  • Assessing timber markets and opportunities to utilize beetle-kill wood.
  • Exploring insurance strategies related to shifting fire risk.
  • Identifying new funding strategies and implementing relevant federal wildfire recommendations.

Colorado's approach draws on lessons from past outbreaks, as well as the state's experience with catastrophic wildfires and investments in forest health, watershed protection, and community resilience. Colorado will release additional information on task force appointments, timelines, and opportunities for public engagement in early 2026. To learn more about the Mountain Pine Beetle, visit the Colorado State Forest Service webpage. For Jefferson County residents, you can visit the Mountain Pine Beetle resource page.

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