Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX) app gives wildfire alerts to outdoor recreationists
Bridget O'Rourke
Where there’s smoke, there’s COTREX. Before your next adventure, check COTREX for active wildfires around the state to stay safe.
DENVER — Ahead of the dry summer season, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) wants to remind the Colorado outdoor community that the Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX) mobile app displays active fire alerts, including wildfires and prescribed burns in covered areas.The COTREX app is a free, user-friendly app that provides authoritative trail information across local, state and federal agencies. More than 236 land managers have contributed data on 45,076 miles of trail across the state. COTREX is unique in that it works directly and exclusively with land managers, parks and open spaces to ensure that the information on the platform comes from a reliable, trusted source.
Over two dozen agency partners use the COTREX app to post real-time advisories, including seasonal wildlife closures, safety hazards and other essential trail alerts. Users can plan routes, view allowed use types (such as hiking, biking, OHV and snow sports), download offline maps, and see trip recommendations from participating partners around the state — all for free, providing a convenient and stress-free experience for outdoor enthusiasts.
Fire Alert Feature
COTREX includes daily wildfire and prescribed burn alerts from trusted sources like inciweb and the National Interagency Fire Center.
- Alerts will automatically appear on the website and app, providing descriptions, boundaries and links to additional resources when available.
- Wildfire and prescribed burn information is checked daily by COTREX.
- Management agencies that do not report to inciweb or the NIFC systems can post their wildfire and prescribed burn alerts, though not every agency participates.
This tool is designed to help outdoor recreationists make informed decisions about exploring an area. While all information in COTREX comes directly from the best available public sources, it can still vary in accuracy and timeliness. However, users can be confident that information comes from a trusted source, and we always recommend contacting local authorities for the most up-to-date information.
Be Careful with Fire
Additional fire safety best practices:
- Check fire restrictions or bans at www.coemergency.com.
- Use designated campfire areas when allowed and available.
- Never leave a fire unattended.
- Don’t burn trash, leftover food or garbage in campfire areas.
- Keep the fire small. Small fires consume fewer resources and leave less impact.
- Burn the wood completely to ash: Stop feeding the fire and give yourself an hour or more for the fire to completely burn out.
- When you are through, saturate the ash with water and ensure it’s cool to the touch.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
DISCLAIMER: The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) website maintains press releases containing historical information that may no longer be accurate. Press releases are dated, which should be noted to determine whether the information provided is current. Please review our current regulations and brochures for up-to-date information.