Category: Forest Health

Lessons Learned from the Black Forest Fire

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The more mitigation an area has, the better the survival odds for people, for property, for the firefighters, and for the forest itself

Take a look at this great video from the Pikes Peak Wildfire Prevention Partners about the lessons learned from the 2013 Black Forest Fire.

The Pikes Peak Wildfire Prevention Partners’ Black Forest Fire Assessment Team Report to the Governor of Colorado provides a more in depth discussion of the efficacy of defensible space and wildfire mitigation strategies in the communities affected by the 2013 Black Forest Fire.

$2500 Wildfire Mitigation Income Tax Deduction

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Colorado landowners with property located in a wildland-urban interface area may qualify to receive a tax subtraction for the costs of wildfire mitigation work.  As authorized by §39-22-104(4)(n)(ll)), C.R.S., for income tax years 2009 through 2024 individuals, estates and trusts may subtract from federal taxable income certain costs incurred in performing wildfire mitigation measures. For qualifications and limitations under the Wildfire Mitigation Measures Subtraction, please see FYI: Wildfire Mitigation Measures Subtraction from the Colorado Department of Revenue Taxpayer Service Division.

 

Pile Burning Scheduled

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The Coalition for the Upper South Platte’s fuels management crews are scheduled to begin pile burning in the next few weeks.

Crews will begin burning piles located north of Divide within the Ute Lakes Fishing and Recreation Club, and east of Woodland Park at the Glen Aspen Boy Scout Camp, off of Loy Creek Road. Burning will occur as weather and conditions allow throughout the next few months.

Smoke may be visible on Highway 24, County Road 5, Highway 67, Rampart Range Road and Loy Creek Road. Smoke-sensitive residents should consider staying indoors and keeping doors, windows and outside vents closed.

Fuels management staff will post road signs around the areas affected by the pile burns and send Nixel notifications.  For more information please contact the Coalition for the Upper South Platte at cusp@uppersouthplatte.org or 719.748.0033

Udall Works to Safeguard Proactive, Cost-Saving Wildfire Prevention Efforts

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Udall Works to Safeguard Proactive, Cost-Saving Wildfire Prevention Efforts

Bipartisan Legislation Strengthens Colorado Communities’ Abilities to Protect Lives, Homes

As part of his longtime push to ensure firefighters have the resources they need to protect Colorado communities from wildfire, Mark Udall joined a bipartisan effort today in the U.S. Senate to modernize the funding structure for fighting and preventing wildfires. The bipartisan, money-saving bill prevents federal agencies from draining funding from proactive and cost-saving wildfire prevention programs and allows access to emergency funding to support immediate fire response.

“The cost of fighting wildfire has increased fivefold in recent years, which forces the U.S. Forest Service to cut back on forest health efforts that help prevent fires before they start. It’s robbing Peter to pay Paul — and if this cycle continues, it will only lead to more catastrophic mega-fires like the Waldo Canyon Fire, the High Park Fire and the Black Forest Fire,” Udall said. “My common-sense plan ensures that Coloradans finally have the resources we need to save lives and homes in the event of another modern mega-fire without undermining valuable fire prevention programs like hazardous fuels reduction.”

The bipartisan bill would give the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Forest Service the ability to fund modern mega-fire response as natural disasters, separate from smaller wildfires. This approach would prevent the federal government from depleting its forest health and fire-mitigation efforts to pay for the costs of fighting large mega-fires, thereby keeping Coloradans more safe from devastating fires.

Udall, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has been a leading voice for ensuring that Colorado and the West have adequate resources to prepare for and combat wildfire, including pressing the U.S. Forest Service to quickly adopt the Government Accountability Office’s recent recommendations on how to upgrade its air tanker fleet. Udall sent a bipartisan letter last year pressing the White House Office of Management and Budget to make wildfire prevention and hazardous fuels treatments a priority. He also led the fight to ensure the Forest Service was able to cut through red tape and secure seven next-generation air tankers. One of the next-generation air tankers Udall fought to acquire helped fight the Black Forest Fire.

Udall has been a strong supporter of using public-private partnerships to improve forest health, including biomass projects like the one Xcel Energy is pursuing. Udall also has heralded the efforts of private companies, like Montrose Forest Products, that are creating jobs by turning beetle-killed trees and other forest products into commercial lumber. He recently led a bipartisan push to urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to partner with the timber industy to reduce wildfire risks in fire-prone areas, create jobs and strenghten forest heath.

Udall has also worked to permanently reauthorize the job-creating Stewardship Contracting authority for the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

Please contact Mike Saccone at 202-224-4334.

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Wildland Fire Potential Forecast

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Predictive Services of the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) has released its significant wildland fire potential forecast for the period January through April 2014.

Highlights for the Rocky Mountain Area are: “Normal significant wildland fire potential is expected for January through April which indicates the Area is out of its typical fire season.”

According to the forecast, long term drought is still evident across a large portion of the Rocky Mountain Area. Aside from a persistent severe to extreme drought over southeastern Colorado into western Kansas and southwestern Nebraska, gradual improvement has been the overall trend across the Area. Average precipitation was normal to below normal across most of the Area December except above normal over much of Wyoming and southwestern South Dakota. Temperatures were below seasonal averages. For the 30 to 90 day outlook period precipitation is forecast to be near to below average across the Rocky Mountain Area, with temperatures near to below average. Higher elevation fuels this time of year are typically snow covered. Otherwise, lower elevation grasslands across the eastern Plains are cured and snow covered at times. On average for this time little or no fire activity occurs. Any fire occurrences are typically short duration and wind driven in the lower elevations, mainly over the far eastern Plains.

The National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook for January-April is available at: http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/outlooks/monthly_seasonal_outlook.pdf

No Cause for Complacency

The release of this forecast calling for “Normal significant wildland fire potential” for Colorado and the rest of the Rocky Mountain Area is certainly no cause for complacency, as it is “normal” for Colorado to have large wildland fires as early as January.  In fact, three times in the past 12 years the first large fire (fire involving 100+ acres or more) of the year occurred in January, and only twice did the first large fire of the year occur after April.

First Large Wildfire of the Year
Year
Incident Name
Start Date
Size
Structures
County
Cause
2002
Bent’s Old Fort/Old Trail
3/23/2002
500
1
Otero
Human
2003
Fitch Hill
3/30/2003
203
El Paso
Human
2004
Picnic Rock
3/30/2004
8,908
2
Larimer
Human
2005
Pattridge Park
1/18/2005
300
Jefferson
Human
2006
Mauricio Canyon
1/6/2006
3,825
15
Huerfano
Human
2007
Medano Ranch
6/6/2007
307
Alamosa
Human
2008
Snakeweed
4/14/2008
1,272
Las Animas
Human
2009
Olde Stage Fire
1/7/2009
3,008
3
Boulder
Other *
2010
Beaver
5/22/2010
2,641
San Miguel
Human
2011
Sand Creek
2/13/2011
820
Weld
Unknown
2012
Lower North Fork
3/26/2012
4,140
27
Jefferson
Human
2013
Galena
3/15/2013
1,348
0
Larimer
Human
* Downed Power Lines

DFPC will continue to work with its local, state and federal partners to prepare for the 2014 wildfire season with the knowledge that the first large fire of the year can occur at any time.

The next National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook will be issued on February 1, 2014.

Biomass for Energy

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Colorado Springs Utilities will be using less coal in the upcoming year.  Their pilot project will study replacing some of the coal at their Drake Power Plant with biomass.  What a great way to use biomass and generate cleaner energy! Read more in the following articles:

Springs Utilities to launch pilot program to burn wood biofuel by the Colorado Springs Gazette

Colorado Springs Utilities plans to use less coal next year by KRDO News 13

Colorado’s first biomass plant begins delivering electricity

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While some residents in the small Eagle County town worry about the impact on air quality, supporters hail the plant as a way to boost renewable energy and improve forest health. The biomass facility will burn wood to heat water, and the resulting steam will power a turbine, generating electricity.

Read the full Colorado Public Radio story