Colorado’s majestic landscapes are the reason most people (including myself) flock to and never leave the Rocky Mountain State.  For all its beauty, Colorado also experiences frequent natural disasters.  Some of these are part of the system’s natural cycles, and others are caused by humans.  Since moving here in 2007, I have experienced firsthand in Boulder County two fires, the Flagstaff Fire in 2012 and the Fourmile Fire in 2010, as well as the 500-year flood that occurred last fall.  Other Coloradans have suffered from other destructive fires, including the High Park Fire and Waldo Canyon Fire in 2012, and the Black Forest Fire in 2013.  In the aftermath of these natural disasters, it is common to feel both the desire to help others and helpless at the same time.