Colorado Governor Jared Polis Tuesday announced the launch of the Colorado Disaster Recovery Navigation Tool, a free online resource designed to walk residents step by step through what to do in the immediate and long-term aftermath of a natural disaster.

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Built by the Governor’s Office of Climate Preparedness and Disaster Recovery, the centralized tool draws together guidance, best practices and resources from state agencies, federal partners, nonprofits and other assistance providers. It is available 24 hours a day at disasterrecovery.colorado.gov.

The tool arrives as more than 1 million Coloradans live in areas with elevated wildfire risk, state and federal data show.

“Coloradans have seen more than our fair share of natural disasters, and this tool will help families in the darkest hours recover faster and stronger,” Governor Polis said. “By providing a step-by-step guide and connecting people with resources, Coloradans, families, communities, and businesses can get back on their feet as soon as possible.”

The tool is organized into three main components:

• “My Journey” provides guidance on the common steps in the disaster recovery process, tailored to homeowners, renters, landlords, small business owners and agricultural producers. Corresponding checklists, organized by chronological recovery stages and user types, can be downloaded and used as a roadmap.
• “Resources” provides a filterable database of disaster recovery resources, from urgent needs to long-term rebuilding. Information spans financial assistance, document replacement, debris removal and more, and can be filtered to show disaster-specific resources, such as when the Federal Emergency Management Agency approves Individual Assistance for a specific event.
• “Best Practices” offers guidance on issues such as how to avoid scams and how to track and document recovery expenses.

Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Kevin Klein said the state will see an increase in the frequency and severity of natural disasters.

“This tool provides a path for survivors to start the steps faster and shares resources and key connections that survivors may not be aware of,” Klein said. “I am proud of the work put in by our State Recovery Task Force to make this tool possible and to support the tool into the future.”

Lisa Hughes, Colorado program specialist for United Policyholders and a Marshall Fire survivor, said the tool would have helped her family navigate their own recovery.

“Having a one-stop website with resources that disaster survivors can use as they work through the recovery process will help make recovery go more smoothly for them, rather than navigating a web of complex and difficult processes from multiple sources,” Hughes said. “As a Marshall Fire survivor, this tool would’ve been very helpful as we navigated our recovery.”

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Several speakers at the announcement cited the 2021 Marshall Fire, where survivors spent years navigating insurance and rebuilding before Xcel Energy agreed to a $640 million settlement.

Kasey Fox, Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster chairperson and vice president of 211 and community crisis at Mile High United Way, called the tool a vital asset for partner organizations and the 211 Colorado help line that field calls from disaster survivors.

Allison James, disaster preparedness and recovery manager for the Town of Superior, said feedback from Marshall Fire survivors helped shape the resource.

“It is great to see the State responding to feedback from our disaster survivor community and creating a tool to help people focus on moving forward, not figuring out where to start,” James said.

State officials cited Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Programs and grants through the Natural Disaster Mitigation Enterprise as examples of existing investments to address disaster risk. Last week, the Polis administration, the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, the Colorado State Forest Service and federal partners released the 2026 Wildfire Outlook and Preparedness Plan.

Coloradans can learn how to protect their homes and create defensible spaces at csfs.colostate.edu/live-wildfire-ready. The Colorado Disaster Recovery Navigation Tool is available at disasterrecovery.colorado.gov.