Take a drive in Evergreen, Conifer or Pine and you’ll easily see how the majestic views, mountain lifestyle and nearby trails continue to attract many to our area. Driving along these narrow back roads also make the area’s fire risk quickly evident. Heavily forested areas and steep terrain combined with increasingly dry conditions all contribute to high-fire risk.
Burning Houses
Colorado data indicates more than two-thirds of Jefferson County is in Verisk’s wildfire analysis. It has determined that Colorado ranks number three in the number of properties at extreme risk, with Evergreen and Conifer leading the list statewide.
There is no single, quick solution to extinguish wildfire risk and it requires all of us doing our part. Commissioners recently earmarked $2.7 million in American Rescue Plan dollars to protect homes from wildfires in Jefferson County. These dollars and others totaling $7.5 million will advance our Jeffco Wildfire Safe program to:
• Protect people and structures. This effort includes a thorough assessment of planning and zoning codes and what needs to change to further reduce wildfire risk.
• Reduce fuel for wildfire. Thinning forests on both public and private land helps fires burn slower and lower to the ground – the funding will help increase the pace and scale of mitigation.
• Increase SLASH collection and biomass recycling. We are enhancing the Jeffco SLASH program, which helps residents dispose of forest debris near their homes such as tree branches, pinecones, and needles. The county is also creating two, year-round locations for residents to drop off and recycle slash.
Several of these recommendations came directly from the county’s first ever Wildfire Risk Reduction Task Force. Community leaders and subject matter experts from across the county worked together to identify three priority areas: enhancing the pace and scale of mitigation, increasing community education, and securing new revenue sources to reduce wildfire risk.