Front Range Fuels Treatment Partnership

The Roundtable and Front Range Counties

Boulder, Clear Creek, Douglas, El Paso, Gilpin,

Grand, Jefferson, Larimer, Park, Teller

The Front Range Roundtable met with all 10 counties individually in 2007. The objective of these meetings was to connect the Roundtable's forest health and wildfire risk reduction efforts with work being done at the county level, and to assess county needs for support. Each meeting was different; some consisted of a formal presentation by the Roundtable to the Commissioners, and some were informal meetings with county staff and local homeowners. Themes that developed from all 10 meetings included:

  1. Funding for forest health & wildfire risk reduction work
    • Counties reported on creative methods for funding fire protection efforts
    • Several counties indicated a need for assistance in locating and applying for grants
    • Opportunities for multi-county cost-share exist and should be pursued
  2. Local slash / mulch services and capacity
    • Some counties have highly developed, effective and efficient programs
    • Other counties have difficulty funding and staffing their sites
    • Most counties struggle with finding a local use for the material gathered at the sites
  3. County planning & building codes
    • There is a wide variety of approaches to integrating fire risk issues into formal county documents for planning & building
    • Several counties would like more information about how to improve and modify their planning documents
  4. Forest Improvement District opportunity
    • Newly passed legislation authorizes counties to propose a ballot measure that would generate local revenue for addressing forest health treatment needs
    • Several counties indicated an interest in pursuing this opportunity
    • Several counties expressed concern about asking voters for a tax hike when other funding priorities exist
  5. Biomass utilization and bio-heating for public buildings
    • Innovative programs for biomass utilization exist in several counties
    • Many counties expressed an interest in pursuing bio-heating but need more information, technical support and funding
  6. Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs)
    • Virtually, every county has an active CWPP program
    • Many counties are concerned that the creation of CWPPs has not been matched with implementation
    • No 10-county CWPP summary yet exists

    For more information, contact Lisa Dale, Coordinator
    720.233.7028; lisa.dale@du.edu

2008 Workshop Series for Counties

Forest health and wildfire risk mitigation workshops will be held for County Commissioners and staff in 2008 and will be sponsored by the Roundtable. The schedule and content of each workshop will be tailored to meet the needs of attendees.

Forest Improvement Districts

In 2007, the General Assembly passed HB 1168, which allows local communities to create a special district to raise revenue that will help reduce hazardous fuels in Colorado forests. The Front Range Roundtable is available for technical and campaign assistance.