Colorado Risks & Vulnerabilities

Understanding your community's risks, vulnerabilities, and strengths is a key first step in making your community more resilient.

Colorado Resiliency Office

As Coloradans, we have been through enough to realize that Colorado faces wide-ranging risks and vulnerabilities including climate change, natural hazards, housing needs, public health emergencies, economic downturns, and aging infrastructure. Accurate, up-to-date information is critical for having a clear picture of the true risks and vulnerabilities a community faces. Scroll through this StoryMap to learn about some of the risks and vulnerabilities your community might face.

Note that this is NOT a comprehensive list of all the hazards facing Coloradans. It is important to gain a full understanding of the makeup of your community, like its demographics, the makeup of its economy, and other important metrics, alongside the vulnerabilities and risks it faces. Don’t forget to also take a look at our  interactive dashboard  of important community-related data and statistics!

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A History of Disasters and Disruptions in Colorado

Colorado has routinely been impacted by floods, wildfires, severe weather events, and other disasters over the past century. Due to the impacts of climate change, including increasing drought, higher temperatures, and more erratic weather patterns, Colorado will continue to experience major disasters over the coming years. This is why incorporating resilience principles into community and statewide planning practices is so important—it will help ensure that Coloradans are prepared for these future events and able to withstand them and build back better.

 Flooding, wildfire, and drought  are the primary hazard events that Coloradans are most likely to experience, though  many other natural and man-made hazards  threaten communities across Colorado. You can learn more about some of the major natural disasters that Colorado has faced over the past decades in the map below.

South Platte Flood of 1965

A massive flood within the South Platte and Arkansas River basins began on June 16th, 1965. Starting in Douglas County, the flood spread along the tributaries of the South Platte towards Denver, ultimately resulting in 21 deaths and property damages exceeding $4.4 billion (in 2019 dollars). Years of neglecting the South Platte and its tributaries, including delaying the construction of Chatfield Dam (which was eventually completed in 1975), and allowing the riverbanks to become choked with weeds, abandoned vehicles, and other waste resulted in hazardous materials being swept into the debris flow of the flood. Eyewitness reports tell stories of bridges collapsing as the floodwaters swept large pieces of debris, including vehicles, oil barrels, and even mobile homes, through the deluge, battering bridge foundations as they went.

Big Thompson Flood of 1976

On July 31, 1976, the area below Estes Park received between 12 and 14 inches of rain in four hours. The resulting flood holds the distinction of being Colorado’s deadliest natural disaster, having killed 144 people. The flood occurred on the eve of Colorado’s centennial birthday, and many people were camping, hiking, and fishing in the canyon of the Big Thompson when the unusually severe summer monsoon began its deluge. While the high-water mark placed by the US Geological Service after this flood was obliterated in the 2013 floods, this event remains more destructive in terms of loss of human life.

2002 Drought and Wildfires

By its fourth consecutive year of drought in 2002, Colorado was parched and many areas that may have traditionally hosted wetlands or other moist environments were drying up. As the wildfire season began in the early summer that year, many parts of the state were ripe with dry tinder that would act as fuel for blazes. Started by human activity, the Hayman Fire, northwest of Colorado Springs, burned over 137,000 acres and was the largest wildfire in Colorado's history until 2020. The Missionary Ridge Fire was another highly destructive event from the same season, burning through nearly 72,000 acres in Southwest Colorado. Across the state, hundreds of homes and structures were burned and at least six firefighters perished because of the blazes.

2012-2013 Wildfires

Building off of years of dry weather and increasing temperatures, the wildfire seasons in 2012 and 2013 were highly destructive for communities across Colorado. Near Pagosa Springs, multiple fires merged to create the large inferno known as the West Fork Complex fire in 2013 and burned over 109,000 acres. In 2012, lightning sparked the High Park Fire near Fort Collins, and aggressive winds and dry conditions caused it to spread to over 87,000 acres.

2013 Floods

Between September 9th and 16th, 2013, Colorado’s Front Range received a deluge of water, as many areas saw rainfall equivalent to or exceeding their annual average over the course of a single week. While the rains were at first a welcome respite to the intense wildfire season the state was experiencing, relief quickly turned to concern when the clouds did not stop dumping water. The floods ultimately resulted in eight deaths and nearly $4 billion in damages across the impacted communities.

2019 Hinsdale County Avalanches

In March 2019, Hinsdale County was experiencing a historically unstable snowpack that led to a series of avalanches. Several homes near Lake City were destroyed, including the house of the Hinsdale County sheriff who was home with his two children when an avalanche struck and destroyed their home. Nearly a dozen residents were rescued after avalanches trapped them in their homes and more were evacuated from Lake City as a precaution. The area received more than two feet of snow in a short timespan, with more at higher elevations.

2020 Wildfires

The 2020 wildfire season was the most destructive in the state’s history; the three largest fires ever recorded in Colorado all occurred within a few months of each other in what became a summer and fall full of hazy and sometimes bright orange skies for many Coloradans. The Cameron Peak Fire, the largest in Colorado history, ignited west of Fort Collins; extreme drought over the recent years and strong winds grew the fire to over 208,000 acres before it was contained. The East Troublesome Fire in Grand County began in October. Dry conditions, abundant dead trees (victims of the pine beetle), and strong winds grew the blaze to over 193,000 acres. The Pine Gulch Fire burned over 139,000 acres near Grand Junction, fueled by the same conditions as the first two. These three fires, along with several smaller, but not insignificant, blazes across the state resulted in the loss of hundreds of structures, several human lives, and a vast array of wildlife and Rocky Mountain ecosystems.

South Platte Flood of 1965

A massive flood within the South Platte and Arkansas River basins began on June 16th, 1965. Starting in Douglas County, the flood spread along the tributaries of the South Platte towards Denver, ultimately resulting in 21 deaths and property damages exceeding $4.4 billion (in 2019 dollars). Years of neglecting the South Platte and its tributaries, including delaying the construction of Chatfield Dam (which was eventually completed in 1975), and allowing the riverbanks to become choked with weeds, abandoned vehicles, and other waste resulted in hazardous materials being swept into the debris flow of the flood. Eyewitness reports tell stories of bridges collapsing as the floodwaters swept large pieces of debris, including vehicles, oil barrels, and even mobile homes, through the deluge, battering bridge foundations as they went.

Big Thompson Flood of 1976

On July 31, 1976, the area below Estes Park received between 12 and 14 inches of rain in four hours. The resulting flood holds the distinction of being Colorado’s deadliest natural disaster, having killed 144 people. The flood occurred on the eve of Colorado’s centennial birthday, and many people were camping, hiking, and fishing in the canyon of the Big Thompson when the unusually severe summer monsoon began its deluge. While the high-water mark placed by the US Geological Service after this flood was obliterated in the 2013 floods, this event remains more destructive in terms of loss of human life.

2002 Drought and Wildfires

By its fourth consecutive year of drought in 2002, Colorado was parched and many areas that may have traditionally hosted wetlands or other moist environments were drying up. As the wildfire season began in the early summer that year, many parts of the state were ripe with dry tinder that would act as fuel for blazes. Started by human activity, the Hayman Fire, northwest of Colorado Springs, burned over 137,000 acres and was the largest wildfire in Colorado's history until 2020. The Missionary Ridge Fire was another highly destructive event from the same season, burning through nearly 72,000 acres in Southwest Colorado. Across the state, hundreds of homes and structures were burned and at least six firefighters perished because of the blazes.

2012-2013 Wildfires

Building off of years of dry weather and increasing temperatures, the wildfire seasons in 2012 and 2013 were highly destructive for communities across Colorado. Near Pagosa Springs, multiple fires merged to create the large inferno known as the West Fork Complex fire in 2013 and burned over 109,000 acres. In 2012, lightning sparked the High Park Fire near Fort Collins, and aggressive winds and dry conditions caused it to spread to over 87,000 acres.

2013 Floods

Between September 9th and 16th, 2013, Colorado’s Front Range received a deluge of water, as many areas saw rainfall equivalent to or exceeding their annual average over the course of a single week. While the rains were at first a welcome respite to the intense wildfire season the state was experiencing, relief quickly turned to concern when the clouds did not stop dumping water. The floods ultimately resulted in eight deaths and nearly $4 billion in damages across the impacted communities.

2019 Hinsdale County Avalanches

In March 2019, Hinsdale County was experiencing a historically unstable snowpack that led to a series of avalanches. Several homes near Lake City were destroyed, including the  house of the Hinsdale County sheriff  who was home with his two children when an avalanche struck and destroyed their home. Nearly a  dozen residents were rescued  after avalanches trapped them in their homes and more were evacuated from Lake City as a precaution. The area received more than two feet of snow in a short timespan, with more at higher elevations.

2020 Wildfires

The 2020 wildfire season was the most destructive in the state’s history; the three largest fires ever recorded in Colorado all occurred within a few months of each other in what became a summer and fall full of hazy and sometimes bright orange skies for many Coloradans. The Cameron Peak Fire, the largest in Colorado history, ignited west of Fort Collins; extreme drought over the recent years and strong winds grew the fire to over 208,000 acres before it was contained. The East Troublesome Fire in Grand County began in October. Dry conditions, abundant dead trees (victims of the pine beetle), and strong winds grew the blaze to over 193,000 acres. The Pine Gulch Fire burned over 139,000 acres near Grand Junction, fueled by the same conditions as the first two. These three fires, along with several smaller, but not insignificant, blazes across the state resulted in the loss of hundreds of structures, several human lives, and a vast array of wildlife and Rocky Mountain ecosystems.

Current and Future Risks

Many risks that Colorado communities face are from natural hazards, but they also are at risk from other risks such as public health emergencies, economic downturns, cyber-security breaches, and housing crises. Read on below to learn more about just a few of the risks that Coloradans face now or may face in the future. For information on the impacts of cascading risks, when one hazard/risk impacts the likelihood or impact of another, see this detailed StoryMap from the  Colorado Water Conservation Board .

Extreme Weather Events

Coloradans have experienced many extreme weather events. It is expected that both winter and summer precipitation will become more variable leading to fewer precipitation events, and those that do occur are likely to be more extreme (e.g., stronger winds and greater moisture). The Colorado Water Conservation Board's  Future Avoided Cost Explorer: Colorado Hazards  tool allows communities to explore the economic impacts of extreme weather events such as floods, drought, and wildfire on their community by 2050. Investing in resilience today can save your community from paying for the full impact from these unpredictable future extreme weather events in the future.

Future Avoided Cost Explorer: Colorado Hazards

Hail Storms

Colorado is one of the most hail-prone states in the country. These storms can cause significant damage to property, crops, and livestock. In 2017, Colorado saw the most expensive hail storm in history causing  $2.3 billion in damage . Learn about the  10 most costly hail events in Colorado history .

Drought

Drought occurs when precipitation is below average levels for a sustained period of time. Colorado has been in a near-constant state of drought since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) introduced the  US Drought Monitor  in 2000 (see map below). Drought impacts the ability of agricultural communities, tourist-based enterprises, and other industries across the state to continue to thrive; these impacts have a direct economic cost to communities throughout Colorado. Droughts can also reduce water availability, which impacts human health, the health of aquatic ecosystems, and can damage key water infrastructure.

For more information, check out this detailed StoryMap from the  Colorado Water Conservation Board .

USA Drought Intensity (Current Conditions)

Impacts on Snowpack

Prolonged periods of dry conditions are bad for Colorado’s tourism and agricultural industries. Making matters worse, it is predicted that Colorado’s mountains will accumulate  less snowpack , and snowmelt is likely to occur one to three weeks earlier. Damages caused by drought are expected to reach  $830 million annually by 2050  in Colorado. Click on the  Surface Water Supply Index  layer in the map below. The Index compares the total volume of water in a basin or sub-basin against the volume available in the same month of historical years. Negative numbers indicate drought while positive numbers indicate an abundance of water available.

How drought impacts Colorado's outdoor recreation industry can be found  here .

Flooding

Every county across the state contains  flood-prone areas . Precipitation trends across the state have become more variable over recent years; this trend is expected to continue as climate change progresses. Heavy precipitation events, including rainfall and rain-on-snow events, can combine with earlier spring runoff and lead to disastrous flooding events. 

Floods pose major risks to property and human life and have caused some of the largest disasters in Colorado history. It is expected that floods will cause  $930 million in damages annually  to infrastructure in Colorado between now and 2050. Creating more equitable policies that make it difficult to build structures within the floodplain can lessen a community’s risk of damages from floods. Click around the map below to view the flood risk near your community.

For more information, check out this detailed StoryMap from the  Colorado Water Conservation Board .

Data Map - CO Hazard Mapping & RiskMAP Portal

Wildfires/Forest Health

Natural Wildfire Risk

Approximately 2,400 wildfires are estimated to occur across Colorado every single year; these fires are either wildland fires (those that occur in undeveloped areas) or wildland-urban interface fires (fires that occur closer to human settlements). Although many parts of Colorado traditionally experienced natural fires as part of the regeneration of grasslands and forestlands, humans are known to cause many fires across the state annually, either intentionally or by accident. Long-term drought, low humidity, and past suppression of fires (resulting in an abundance of understory fuels) have combined to exacerbate the impact of wildfire over the past decades. There are more people living in fire-prone areas than ever before. The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) found that  approximately 2.9 million people  currently live in the WUI. Take a look at the map to see the  current wildfire risk  near your community.

Real-Time Wildfire Data

In 2020, Colorado experienced its three largest wildfires in recorded history. These catastrophic wildfires are started by humans  90% of the time ! The damage from wildfires to buildings and the cost of fire suppression alone is anticipated to cost the state  $440 million annually by 2050 . The map on the right shows  information on wildfires in real-time . Save this resource to refer to during fire season.

For more information, check out this detailed StoryMap from the  Colorado Water Conservation Board .

Risks from Insects & Pests

Since the turn of the century, Colorado’s forests have also been attacked by several  invasive insects and pests  that have left many standing dead trees in the forests and urban areas. Take a look at this StoryMap from the Colorado State Forest Service to understand your community’s forest health.

Winter Storms and Avalanches

Climate change will likely cause a  decline in Colorado's snowpack,  and late-season snowfall is expected to decrease as more precipitation falls as rain as the planet warms. Rain on top of snow can create an unstable snowpack and may lead to more frequent avalanches.  Avalanches  threaten not only skiers and winter enthusiasts but can threaten buildings and transportation infrastructure throughout Colorado’s mountain towns.

Public Health

Pandemics

COVID-19 represents one of the greatest disruptions of our lifetimes, affecting every Colorado community. The long-term impacts of COVID-19 on Colorado’s economy, population, health, and infrastructure are just starting to be understood. These impacts are not necessarily evenly felt. In order to respond adequately, communities are partnering across jurisdictional boundaries in order to effectively respond to change and elevate community assets to solve shared problems. The CRO is excited to  offer communities an opportunity  to work together to support diversifying and strengthening their economies while building your region’s resiliency.

The map on the right shows up-to-date statistics on COVID-19 positivity rates per 100,000 residents by county. More information regarding COVID-19 can be found on  Colorado's COVID website .

Air Quality

As the planet warms, more ozone and other particulate matter can get trapped in the lower atmosphere and cause the air to be hazardous for people to breathe. The Denver region has  struggled to comply with EPA standards  for many years, as seen in the accompanying chart. Wildfires can cause air quality issues as well, as smoke can carry particulates through the atmosphere, which many communities across the state face during wildfire season.

Check out the current air quality near you in the interactive dashboard below!

CDPHE - Colorado.gov/AirQuality

Extreme Heat

Between now and 2050 the average annual statewide temperature in Colorado is expected to increase by  2.5-5°F by 2050 . In addition, extreme temperatures above 90°F can have serious health impacts including heat exhaustion and sunstroke. Vulnerable populations like the elderly, people with compromised immune systems, and people that work outside are particularly susceptible to the risks from high temperatures. Creating community gathering places that are air-conditioned is important so those most vulnerable to heat impacts (such as the elderly, young, and those with underlying health conditions) can be more resilient to the warming climate. See the map on the right for current weather warnings from the National Weather Service, including excessive heat.

Resilience in Action

Many communities across Colorado are taking steps to make their communities more resilient to a variety of hazards and disruptions. See a few examples below, and check out the full list of  case studies on the CRO website !

City of Longmont

Following the 2013 floods, Longmont set out to make the St. Vrain Creek channel more resilient to future flood events. The Resilient St. Vrain Project (RSVP) is a multi-year effort to improve St. Vrain Creek’s channel and the surrounding areas in preparation for any future flooding. The project will increase channel capacity and reduce the size of the St. Vrain Creek floodplain using environmentally-sound, natural design techniques.

City of Manitou Springs

The Waldo Canyon fire started on June 23, 2012, west of Colorado Springs in the Pike National Forest during a severe drought year. While the fire did not reach Manitou Springs, it left behind a denuded, 18,000 acre burn scar that would continue to funnel debris and sediment into a series of canyons and watercourses that lead into Manitou and west Colorado Springs. Eventually, FEMA required the City to develop a compliant Comprehensive Plan to continue receiving grant funds, so the City hired an additional Planner to help complete the Planning for Hazards project. The City now has a continuity of operations plan that will serve them in the event of a future disruption.

City of Arvada

To help local businesses as the city transitions to safer-at-home, the Arvada Resiliency Taskforce is providing businesses that comply with public health guidelines branding that states they are “Safe and Open.” The Taskforce is supporting this effort with signage for storefronts, web icons for social media, and other marketing. Over 140 businesses have taken the pledge. Posters are showing up in windows all over town, building confidence as Arvada transitions to open goes both ways.

Hinsdale, Mineral, and Rio Grande Counties

In June 2013, lightning sparked three separate fires in the Rio Grande headwaters region that together were called the West Fork Complex fire. In the midst of the fire, Hinsdale, Mineral, and Rio Grande counties banded together and created the Rio Grande Watershed Emergency Action Coordination Team, or RWEACT. This collaborative was crucial in coordinating resources amongst the communities, securing funding from an executive order from Governor Hickenlooper, and lobbying to get more help from the state and federal governments. Several plans were developed post-fire to help support existing businesses, and RWEACT now has five standing committees that help address post-fire impacts and improve emergency notification efforts.

Boulder County

The September 2013 floods caused significant damage to communities throughout Boulder County. In response to this disaster event, the communities formed the Boulder County Collaborative to collaboratively develop a path for recovery from the floods, as well as to serve as a body to acquire and implement Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Boulder County Collaborative set forth on developing Resilient Design Performance Standards. The Resilient Design Performance Standards allow Boulder County communities to define long-term time-to-recovery goals that are adaptable to specific hazards and each community’s needs.

Town of Basalt

The Town of Basalt worked in conjunction with the Basalt Chamber of Commerce to find quick solutions that would address the different public health restrictions, including reduced occupancy in restaurants and limited gatherings. The Basalt Chamber assisted with communications to educate both business owners and their employees, as well as tourists visiting the area, about new parking alternatives. Through public-private collaborations, the town was quickly able to adapt to the new environment, providing much needed vitality and a boost to the local economy.

Larimer County

While natural disasters are nothing new to Colorado, Larimer County communities experienced significant fire and flood events in a short period of time between 2012 and 2013. Disasters like fires and floods will occur again. Knowing this, Larimer County communities developed the Larimer Community Resiliency Framework, a regional resiliency framework to build local resilience to future shocks and stresses. The resiliency framework is a living document that will be updated as projects are completed and adjusted as needed to meet the changing needs of the community and region.

City of Montrose

The City of Montrose is rapidly responding to business needs through a relief package for small businesses. The package includes cooperative marketing grants, sales tax deferral, and a small business emergency loan fund. The relief package emphasizes the “spirit of collaboration” since the cooperative marketing grant requires at least three businesses to partner together. Montrose quickly pivoted by reallocating funds for tourism to providing cooperative marketing grants to local businesses working together.

City of Wheat Ridge

For the past seven years, the City has used priority-based budgeting when developing its annual budget. Using a priority-based budgeting process has allowed the City to align its resources and assets with budget priorities to link financial needs with the City Council’s Strategic Goals. Rather than basing a budget off of revisions to the previous years’, Local Governments take a holistic approach to developing a budget that prioritizes programs and services to invest in, preserve, and enhance those most valuable for the community.

Gunnison County

Gunnison’s tourism-based economy is reliant on visitors and has a density of businesses that rely on greater demand than the local populations can provide. The county has found that communication has been the best tool for solving problems and managing local business owners’ confusion and anxiety over the pandemic’s impact on their livelihoods and employees. The focus on communication has helped the county pioneer task forces and networks that have, in several instances, spared businesses further financial blows and will likely make their return to normal working hours easier.

City of Longmont

Following the 2013 floods, Longmont set out to make the St. Vrain Creek channel more resilient to future flood events. The  Resilient St. Vrain Project  (RSVP) is a multi-year effort to improve St. Vrain Creek’s channel and the surrounding areas in preparation for any future flooding. The project will increase channel capacity and reduce the size of the St. Vrain Creek floodplain using environmentally-sound, natural design techniques.

City of Manitou Springs

The Waldo Canyon fire started on June 23, 2012, west of Colorado Springs in the Pike National Forest during a severe drought year. While the fire did not reach Manitou Springs, it left behind a denuded, 18,000 acre burn scar that would continue to funnel debris and sediment into a series of canyons and watercourses that lead into Manitou and west Colorado Springs. Eventually, FEMA required the City to develop a compliant Comprehensive Plan to continue receiving grant funds, so the City hired an additional Planner to help complete the  Planning for Hazards  project. The City now has a continuity of operations plan that will serve them in the event of a future disruption.

City of Arvada

To help local businesses as the city transitions to safer-at-home, the Arvada Resiliency Taskforce is providing businesses that comply with public health guidelines branding that states they are “Safe and Open.” The Taskforce is supporting this effort with signage for storefronts, web icons for social media, and other marketing. Over 140 businesses have taken the pledge. Posters are showing up in windows all over town, building confidence as Arvada transitions to open goes both ways.

Hinsdale, Mineral, and Rio Grande Counties

In June 2013, lightning sparked three separate fires in the Rio Grande headwaters region that together were called the West Fork Complex fire. In the midst of the fire, Hinsdale, Mineral, and Rio Grande counties banded together and created the  Rio Grande Watershed Emergency Action Coordination Team , or RWEACT. This collaborative was crucial in coordinating resources amongst the communities, securing funding from an executive order from Governor Hickenlooper, and lobbying to get more help from the state and federal governments. Several plans were developed post-fire to help support existing businesses, and RWEACT now has five standing committees that help address post-fire impacts and improve emergency notification efforts.

Boulder County

The September 2013 floods caused significant damage to communities throughout Boulder County. In response to this disaster event, the communities formed the Boulder County Collaborative to collaboratively develop a path for recovery from the floods, as well as to serve as a body to acquire and implement Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Boulder County Collaborative set forth on developing Resilient Design Performance Standards. The Resilient Design Performance Standards allow Boulder County communities to define long-term time-to-recovery goals that are adaptable to specific hazards and each community’s needs.

Town of Basalt

The Town of Basalt worked in conjunction with the Basalt Chamber of Commerce to find quick solutions that would address the different public health restrictions, including reduced occupancy in restaurants and limited gatherings. The Basalt Chamber assisted with communications to educate both business owners and their employees, as well as tourists visiting the area, about new parking alternatives. Through public-private collaborations, the town was quickly able to adapt to the new environment, providing much needed vitality and a boost to the local economy.

Larimer County

While natural disasters are nothing new to Colorado, Larimer County communities experienced significant fire and flood events in a short period of time between 2012 and 2013. Disasters like fires and floods will occur again. Knowing this, Larimer County communities developed the Larimer Community Resiliency Framework, a regional resiliency framework to build local resilience to future shocks and stresses. The resiliency framework is a living document that will be updated as projects are completed and adjusted as needed to meet the changing needs of the community and region.

City of Montrose

The City of Montrose is rapidly responding to business needs through a relief package for small businesses. The package includes cooperative marketing grants, sales tax deferral, and a small business emergency loan fund. The relief package emphasizes the “spirit of collaboration” since the cooperative marketing grant requires at least three businesses to partner together. Montrose quickly pivoted by reallocating funds for tourism to providing cooperative marketing grants to local businesses working together.

City of Wheat Ridge

For the past seven years, the City has used priority-based budgeting when developing its annual budget. Using a priority-based budgeting process has allowed the City to align its resources and assets with budget priorities to link financial needs with the City Council’s Strategic Goals. Rather than basing a budget off of revisions to the previous years’, Local Governments take a holistic approach to developing a budget that prioritizes programs and services to invest in, preserve, and enhance those most valuable for the community.

Gunnison County

Gunnison’s tourism-based economy is reliant on visitors and has a density of businesses that rely on greater demand than the local populations can provide. The county has found that communication has been the best tool for solving problems and managing local business owners’ confusion and anxiety over the pandemic’s impact on their livelihoods and employees. The focus on communication has helped the county pioneer task forces and networks that have, in several instances, spared businesses further financial blows and will likely make their return to normal working hours easier.

Summary

Colorado communities face many risks that cause their communities to be vulnerable to hazards and disruptions (such as  population change ). While these hazards and disruptions may be hard to predict, there are many actions a community can take to increase its resilience and avoid the high cost of the impacts from these events. A great option is to develop a Resilience Framework, which can help your community identify necessary actions to increase resilience. The tool below shows a few example actions which a community could take and how much cost and effort the action would require. Check out our  Community Readiness and Resilience  Toolkit and  Post-disaster Recovery  toolkits for other important planning resources.

It is important to gain a full understanding of the makeup of your community (i.e. demographics, economy, and other important metrics), alongside the vulnerabilities and risks it faces. Lastly, don’t forget to also take a look at our  interactive dashboard  of important community-related data and statistics!

Adaptation Options