Healthy, Resilient Forests & Wildfire-Adapted Communities | Forest Health and Wildfire Resilience in Summit County

Forests are key to Summit County’s identity, environment, and future. They filter and store our drinking water, support diverse wildlife, provide world-class recreation opportunities, and form a natural defense against the growing threat of catastrophic wildfires. From alpine basins to sagebrush foothills, these ecosystems play a foundational role in the health, safety, and quality of life for our communities.

However, decades of fire suppression, a changing climate, increasing development pressure, and invasive species have left many of our forested landscapes vulnerable. In some areas, unnaturally dense vegetation and declining forest health have increased the risk of high-severity wildfire, erosion, and water quality impacts.

To address these challenges, Summit County partners with local, state, and federal agencies—as well as nonprofits, landowners, and neighboring communities—to improve forest resilience through restoration and proactive adaptive management. Guided by the Utah Forest Action Plan, local efforts focus on strategic thinning, fuels reduction, watershed protection, and habitat restoration. These projects are designed not only to reduce wildfire hazards in our communities, but also to restore ecological balance and strengthen climate resilience.

The Utah Resilience Fund is helping to accelerate this work by blending public and private funding to implement large-scale forest health projects more efficiently. With support from this fund and the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, Summit County is working across jurisdictional boundaries to protect critical landscapes and build long-term sustainability for people and nature.

In addition to on-the-ground restoration, Summit County is investing in education, community science, and volunteer stewardship programs to involve residents in the protection of local forests. Our collective actions today will shape the condition of our forests for generations to come.

Learn more below about ongoing forest health initiatives in Summit County, wildfire preparedness resources, and ways you can get involved.

Burn piles on the 910 Ranch in summer 2025 - Natasha Collins, World Resources Institute