Five years after the East Troublesome Fire devastated northern Grand County in a matter of hours, residents and officials gathered Wednesday, Oct. 22 to press local leaders and U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse on their ongoing recovery and prevention efforts.

Hosted by KFFR 88.3 FM and the Grand County Wildfire Council, the event at the Grand Lake Community House invited the public to address continuing concerns and reflect on lessons learned since the 2020 disaster.

Neguse fielded audience questions on the fire’s still-open investigation, the insurance crisis and whether state and federal agencies are providing enough long-term support to mountain communities. He cited expanded aerial firefighting capacity and watershed protection efforts on federal lands as progress, but said “more has to be done” to ensure recovery resources reach rural counties.

“I’m proud,” Neguse said, noting that Grand County’s commissioners — across party lines — have consistently kept Colorado’s congressional delegation informed about the need for landscape restoration and watershed recovery. “We know that it’s a long time coming, and it’s gonna continue onto the future.”

Audience member John Pratt, who lost his home in the fire, asked the panel for an update on the investigation into its cause, saying residents still lacked answers about who caused the fire. District 2 County Commissioner Merrit Linke said he had no new information, while Neguse pledged to follow up with the Forest Service and Grand County Sheriff’s office for an update on the investigation.

“Accountability matters,” Neguse said.

Linke spoke about the unpredictable behavior of modern wildfires and the importance of interagency communication during and after disasters.

“The relationships we’ve built between departments have carried us through these last few years,” he said.

Linke also described the continuing frustration over insurance costs and rebuilding delays, saying the situation many homeowners dealt with “a nightmare” when filing insurance claims.

Panelists highlighted recent state legislation aimed at improving homeowner protections, including a 2025 law requiring insurance companies to be more transparent about wildfire risk and mitigation efforts.

The forum ended with calls for continued state investment in mitigation and insurance reform to strengthen wildfire resilience across Grand County.