Category: Forest Health

Mark Udall’s office recently published this press release:

Mark Udall, who has fought to strengthen Colorado’s ability to combat wildfires, urged the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Forest Service in letters today to swiftly repurpose military aircraft to help fight future wildfires in Colorado and across the West. Udall, who serves on both the U.S. Armed Services Committee and the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said these aircraft will help protect Colorado’s communities, water supplies and special way of life.

The excess military aircraft — seven U.S. Coast Guard-operated C-130Hs — were transferred to the Forest Service through provisions in the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act.

“We are in an era of modern mega-fires and my state has repeatedly broken records in recent years for the largest and most devastating fires in Colorado’s history. Projections for future fire seasons and the volume of hazardous fuels on the landscape make me extremely concerned,” Udall wrote in his letter to the Forest Service. “Air tankers cannot fight fire alone, but they are critical firefighting resources that can give firefighters time and prevent small blazes from becoming catastrophic wildfires. … I am requesting a report that describes the expected timeline for the completion of those transfers and an estimated date on which each C-130H will be employable as a firefighting asset, as well as their expected lifecycle and an analysis of what could possibly delay this timeline.”

To read Udall’s letter to the U.S. Air Force, click HERE.

To read Udall’s letter to the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture, click HERE.

Udall has been the leading voice in Congress to update and strengthen the federal air tanker fleet, including through the transfer of excess military aircraft. He recently pressed the U.S. Forest Service to quickly adopt the Government Accountability Office’s recommendations on how to upgrade its air tanker fleet.

Udall has championed common-sense programs and strategies to prevent western wildfires. He recentlyintroduced bipartisan legislation to allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to proactively work with states and localities on wildfire mitigation projects.

The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control has adopted new prescribed burning rules.  The rules will be reviewed by the Attorney General’s Office and the Office of Legislative Legal Services before they go into effect.

See the Rules and Regulation Concerning Prescribed Burning in Colorado and the Colorado Prescribed Fire Planning and Implementation Policy Guide for more information. 

Several bills regarding wildfire are up for review in the Colorado legislature this session.

SB 14-047 Wildland Firefighters Death Benefit Payments

This bill would direct the state to make a lump-sum payment of $10,000 to the survivors of a seasonal wildland firefighter employed by state or local government and killed in the line of duty.

SB 14-046 Local Firefighter Safety Grant Program

This bill would create a local firefighter safety and disease prevention fund that would be used to support training and the purchase of equipment designed to increase firefighter safety and prevent occupation-related diseases.

HB 1010 Corrections to Prescribed Burning Program

This bill makes several technical corrections to the bill that created a prescribed burning program in the Department of Public Safety.

HB 14-1009 Change Wildfire Mitigation Tax Deduction

This bill would change the wildfire mitigation income tax deduction to an income tax credit, reducing taxes dollar for dollar up to $2,500.

SB 14-045 Responsibility of Local Officials Wildland Fire Management 

This bill would amend current provisions specifying the authority and responsibility among state and local officials in regards to wildfire management.

SB 14-077 Concurrent Jurisdiction over USFS & BLM Land

This bill would allow the state to retain concurrent legislative jurisdiction with the federal government on U.S Forest Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management land within the state.

 SB 14-097 Immunity of Public Agencies Against Liability Arising from the Wildfire Mitigation Activities of Insurance Companies

This bill would protect public agencies intending to protect private property from civil liability.