Record heat waves and drought are not only leading to more frequent and intense wildfires but are also putting one of life’s most valuable resources at risk: the water we drink. A new Forest Service research report describes how extensively public drinking water systems rely on national forests and grasslands. In the West, the report found national forests and grasslands supply drinking water to almost 90% of the people served by public water systems. Some western cities, like Aspen, Colorado, and Portland, Oregon, are more than 90% dependent on national forests alone for their drinking water. The story is similar in the eastern U.S., though most of this water is supplied by private forests. Learn more at the link in our bio 📷: @u.s.forestservice