A community-driven program to stop the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation before it becomes the next Hayman Fire — protecting Park County's forests, homes, and the watershed that supplies water to 1.8 million Coloradans.
Beetle-killed trees dramatically increase wildfire fuel loads. A single high-severity fire in Park County's forests — like the 2002 Hayman Fire in the same watershed — would cost hundreds of millions of dollars in damage and decades of recovery.
Beetles nest over winter and fly to new host trees starting in July. Removing infested trees before summer is the only effective intervention. Miss the window, miss a year. Poor snowpack and high winds in 2025–2026 have weakened trees, elevating this season's risk.
The forests FAB protects sit upstream of the water supply for 1.8 million Coloradans.
A wildfire in the Rock/Elk/Deer Creek sub-basins would send sediment into the reservoir chain above — increasing water treatment costs and threatening water quality for millions of people downstream. The 2002 Hayman Fire cost Denver Water and Aurora Water over $25 million in reservoir cleanup alone.
Remove actively infested green trees while beetles are nesting inside. Cutting before larvae mature and adults fly eliminates the next generation before it can spread to neighboring trees.
Remove red and dead beetle-killed trees. These standing dead trees contain no live beetles but represent the primary wildfire fuel hazard — turning forests into tinderboxes that threaten homes and the watershed.
Every property is tracked from signup through completed mitigation on a purpose-built digital platform — generating live maps, automated KPI reporting, and real accountability for every acre treated.
Program data updated weekly. Statistics represent completed mitigation work in Park County during the 2026 beetle season.
Once program funding is confirmed, FAB and PCFPD staff will conduct free on-site property walks to evaluate beetle activity, score your risk, and recommend a mitigation plan — at no cost to you. Register your interest below and we'll contact you when assessments open.
No experience required. FAB will train you. Help protect Park County's forests and watershed.
FAB Beetle Blitz is a program of Fire Adapted Bailey, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving Park County, Colorado.
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