University of Oregon. Ecosystem Workforce Program2016-01-282016-01-282014https://hdl.handle.net/1794/196192 pagesLarge wildfires can affect communities in many ways. For the city of Raton, New Mexico, the 2011 Track Fire posed a significant threat to the city’s municipal watershed. Despite significant pre-suppression work to treat the forest within the watershed, the Track Fire burned with high severity through much of the area and necessitated immediate recovery actions to maintain the watershed as a primary drinking water source. The relationships, communication, and trust that were established between key partners during prior projects, however, initiated quick wildfire response and recovery actions, which helped save the watershed from the “worst case scenario fire.” This case study demonstrates the value that prior collaboration can have in reducing the lasting impacts of a large, severe wildfire.en-USCreative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-USOther