Colorado Parks and Wildlife is urging outdoor recreators to use the free Colorado Trail Explorer app, known as COTREX, to check for active wildfire and prescribed burn alerts before heading into the backcountry.
The app, available at trails.colorado.gov, allows users to search trailheads and see whether wildfires are burning nearby. COTREX is a free, user-friendly platform built on trail information from trusted land managers. More than 36 agency partners post real-time advisories through the app, including trail closures and safety hazards.
Users can plan routes, check allowed use types, download offline maps and view trip recommendations from partners around the state, all at no cost. CPW says this makes COTREX a convenient option for people preparing to head outdoors.
The app pulls daily wildfire and prescribed burn alerts from sources including InciWeb and the National Interagency Fire Center. Alerts appear automatically on the app and website with descriptions, boundaries and links to more information. The data is checked multiple times a day, and agencies that do not report to InciWeb or NIFC can still post alerts directly.
Large wildfires are currently burning across Colorado, and CPW warns that dry vegetation, low humidity and gusty winds could fuel rapid fire growth. Officials say a single spark from a campfire, vehicle or grill can start a fast-moving blaze, and they are urging caution statewide.