Pitkin, Eagle, and Garfield counties remind residents about wildfire protections

Pitkin, Eagle, and Garfield counties are reminding residents about their Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). This initiative provides an opportunity for communities to collaboratively implement wildfire mitigation strategies, safeguarding homes, property, and human health.

Eagle County stands out for its county-level management of fire mitigation, enabling its CWPP team to offer cost-sharing and grant incentives. Funded by Eagle County and the state of Colorado, these incentives help community members offset the costs of wildfire mitigation.

Eagle County Community Mitigation Manager Eric Lovgren highlights the county’s proactive approach by offering free wildfire risk assessments for residents’ properties.

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“We have done (wildfire risk assessment) for many homes in Ruedi Shores over the years,” Lovgren said.

He encourages landowners to use cost-share assistance for activities such as community chipping days, fuel reduction in open spaces, hazard tree removal along roadways, managing tall grasses, and overall emergency response readiness.

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Lovgren emphasizes the importance of communication rather than urging residents to become responders themselves.

“We talk with people to encourage them to stay in communication with emergency responders and with each other,” he said. “Being able to quickly disseminate evacuation orders and information between neighbors is highly important.”

To facilitate this communication, Eagle County has established the Neighborhood Ambassador Program. Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Katie Jenkins describes it as a volunteer initiative that empowers highly motivated individuals in wildfire mitigation.

“The program is a volunteer program where we empower people who are super motivated about wildfire mitigation,” Jenkins said. Ambassadors receive training in basic wildfire mitigation techniques, evacuation procedures, and information about the resources offered through the CWPP. “Ambassadors are a point person for whom people in the neighborhood can go to for more information.”

Ambassadors can be appointed by others, self-nominated, or selected based on their past community involvement. They meet three to four times a year. Recently, Fire Adapted Colorado (FACO) hosted an intensive, six-week ambassador orientation workshop. Each week covered different topics, from fuel mitigation to community engagement strategies.

Lovgren said that the ultimate goal of CWPP is for communities to share responsibility in wildfire mitigation, collaborate to prevent wildfires, and have evacuation plans ready for worst-case scenarios.

Pitkin and Eagle counties approach CWPP differently, reflecting their unique community structures and resource availability.

Pitkin County Emergency Manager Chris Breitbach explained that CWPP management is decentralized in Pitkin County, handled more at the community and fire district level.

“Due to resources at the county level, it’s better managed at the city or fire district level,” he said.

The Pitkin County CWPP outlines its purpose clearly: “CWPP is a strategic plan that identifies specific wildfire risks facing communities and fire districts within Pitkin County, and provides prioritized mitigation projects and activities designed to reduce those risks.”

Roaring Fork Fire Rescue (RFFR) Chief Scott Thompson notes a significant difference between Pitkin and Eagle Counties: Pitkin lacks a dedicated CWPP coordinator. However, RFFR compensates by offering free fire mitigation surveys upon request.

“We go out and survey properties when people request us. We are working on a couple of joint projects with the Forest Service,” Thompson said.

These projects with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) are in the early stages, still requiring funding and coordination with private landowners.

Thompson highlights a strategic shift toward integrating efforts across private and federal lands.

“We are trying to do cross-boundary work, where we like the project to tie to private land,” he explained.

Though Pitkin County does not have the cost-sharing or grant programs available in Eagle County, some funding options exist.

“In Snowmass Village, we fund some of the mitigation on common properties. We have been teaming up with the Snowmass Homeowners Association to share funding for mitigation efforts to do a little bit each year and share the cost,” Thompson said. He emphasizes that it’s best to approach mitigation gradually rather than attempting everything at once.

Additionally, Thompson mentioned early-stage efforts with the Roaring Fork Wildfire Collaborative to develop a training program for neighborhood ambassadors. This initiative aims to empower residents to take an active role in wildfire prevention and mitigation within their communities, though it is still in its nascent stages.

Thompson also emphasized the importance of not only utilizing mitigation efforts around the home but also hardening — or reducing the combustibility — of any home.

“We are big into having them harden their home. That may be just the screens in their houses or their vents,” he said. “We want to communicate the importance of cleaning out their gutters and the risks of wood decks or fences that touch their homes.”

He concluded by saying, “There are only so many fire trucks and thousands of homes in this valley. When a fire moves through, one needs to prepare their house to stand alone.”

Garfield County Emergency Manager Chris Bornholdt was unavailable for comment for this story.

According to the Garfield County CWPP, it offers a framework for the county to assess its current wildfire risks and hazards. It aims to protect human welfare as well as vital economic and ecological assets. The plan emphasizes that reducing wildfire hazards and risks requires a collaborative effort among all fire authorities, private landowners, and other stakeholders.

Westley Crouch covers the City of Aspen and general reporting for The Aspen Times. He can be reached at 970-384-9124 or wcrouch@aspentimes.com.