After a winter in the bottom decile of historically documented precipitation, Western Colorado did not need more dry weather. Only in the past few weeks did monsoon patterns return to more typical levels. Moving into September, it is unlikely that precipitation or low pressure weather systems will significantly mitigate drought levels ahead of winter.
As of last week, the United States drought monitor ranked all of Northwestern Colorado as experiencing either D3 or D4 drought levels: extreme drought or exceptional drought, respectively. Characteristics of extreme drought include city landscapes withering, infestations of grasshoppers and other dry weather insects, large wildfires, deterioration of pasture lands, decreased fish populations, due to low water levels and high water temperatures, and mandatory water restrictions becoming necessary due to extremely low reservoirs. In exceptional drought, additional characteristics include large-scale agricultural and economic losses and increase of dust storms and topsoil erosion.
The majority of Garfield County is experiencing exceptional drought conditions, while Eagle and Pitkin counties remain largely in extreme drought. The Western Slope last experienced exceptional drought conditions in May of 2023.
An Aug. 10 Aspen Times article reported that the first half of 2025 was one of the driest recorded seasons for Pitkin County in 131 years.
One of the many results of warmer temperatures and low precipitation can be color change and dormancy of local flora. These color changes can resemble early autumn foliage shifts, but the cause is heat and lack of moisture rather than cold and decreased daylight. According to research from the University of Maryland, drought and extensive heat can cause plants to go dormant, shutting down sugar and oxygen cycles to preserve energy. This can be observed as scorching of leaves on trees and shrubs, such as the yellow and orange hues that started appearing in stands of scrub oak, serviceberry and other native flowering shrubs in late July and into August.
Local fire chiefs have observed that the last time widespread heat scorching was so prevalent was during the drought and fire season of 2020. Five of the 20 largest wildfires in state history occurred that year, including the three largest recorded fires. With these drought conditions and so much dry and dormant plant life, emergency response experts recommend that people have go-bags accessible and evacuation plans ready in case of a wildfire.
If weather patterns remain dry through autumn, it is likely that drought severity could increase. In such circumstances the likelihood of additional fish die-offs, such as the 200-plus dead fish observed at Pitkin County’s Grizzly Reservoir last month, becomes more certain. Counties and municipalities through the region have already implemented water and fire restrictions. It is possible that additional levels of restriction could become necessary without significant precipitation.
The White River National Forest and BLM Upper Colorado River District enacted Stage 1 fire restrictions on June 27 and went to Stage 2 on Aug. 8, which means a fire ban for the area’s public lands. Pitkin County entered Stage 1 on June 27 and Stage 2 on Aug. 8, as well. Eagle County has adjusted Stage 2 fire restrictions based on red flag warnings. Garfield County entered Stage 2 restrictions on July 17.
Stage 2 restrictions prohibit most open flames. Various jurisdictional fire restrictions can be found at roaringforkfire.gov/wildfire.
“It took the whole summer of hot, dry, windy, no moisture to put all the stress on the land,” stated Roaring Fork Fire Rescue Chief Scott Thompson. “It’ll take just as long to come out of it.”