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The national database of state and local wildfire hazard mitigation programs
serves as a clearinghouse of information about nonfederal policies and
programs that seek to reduce the risk of loss of life and property through
the reduction of hazardous fuels on private lands. If
you would like to submit a program to the national wildfire programs database,
please complete the following form (MS
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Title: |
La Plata County, CO -- Fire Plan and Fire Council
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Type: |
Fuelbreaks
Education
Designation of high risk areas
Community Planning
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Jurisdiction: |
County
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State: |
Colorado
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Program Description: |
La Plata Fire Plan
During the summer of 2002 the Missionary Ridge Fire burned more than 70,000 acres in La Plata County, Colorado. A year earlier, with funding from the National Fire Plan, the county created the La Plata County Fire Plan, available on the web at National Fire Plan--La Plata County Community Fire Plan. To create the plan, scientists from Colorado State University and Fort Lewis College conducted a state-of-the-art, detailed wildfire hazard assessment and mapping study. The La Plata Wildfire Hazard Assessment and Map, created with BEHAVE software, is described elsewhere on this website (see La Plata County, CO).
The wildfire hazard assessment shows that the environments with steep southerly slopes and oak, ponderosa pine, and pinyon-juniper vegetation can produce the most uncontrollable fires in Southwest Colorado. These areas are precisely where new housing developments have been going up; thus, in regard to wildfire in the wildland-urban interface, development is occurring where it is least amenable to human habitation.
In addition, questionnaires were sent to over 1,000 residents of the county to assess awareness of wildfire risk. A separate survey was sent to all the local Fire Chiefs seeking their input about wildfire issues, equipment and training needs, and further collaboration strategies to increase effectiveness in dealing with wildfires. USDA Forest Service and BLM Fire Management Officers, working with the Fort Lewis College Office of Community Services and the local Fire Chiefs created a map of high-risk priority areas to be considered for controlled burns and other fire mitigation strategies by the USFS and BLM. High priority areas in each fire district were also identified.
Several recommendations are made in the La Plata County Fire Plan to educate the public about wildfire risk and to reduce risk by reducing hazardous vegetation. The Fire Plan, which ranks high-risk neighborhoods by fire district, recommends targeting public-education efforts in these areas, particularly by conducting neighborhood meetings and door-to-door campaigns. The Fire Plan recommends creating demonstration projects to showcase firewise landscape strategies in targeted neighborhoods that are adjacent to public lands and interested in mitigation. These demonstration projects should be combined with public education meetings and campaigns. A list of local private contractors able to carry out firewise prevention projects should be advertised to homeowners. The plan also suggests using the Southwest Youth Corps, based in Durango, to carry out fire prevention and mitigation projects on both private and public lands (see Student Conservation Association-Fire Education in 27 States).
In addition, the fire plan calls on La Plata County commissioners to adopt the 1997 Uniform Fire Code (UFC) to give the fire districts greater authority over building and subdivision design standards and fire hazard mitigation measures.
La Plata County Fire Council
The plan recommends the formation of a La Plata County Fire CounciI, which has already been formed. Group members include local fire-department chiefs, US Forest Service, Southern Ute Tribe and Bureau of Indian Affairs fire-management officers, Colorado State Forest Service, and interested private citizens. They are collaborating on fuel-reduction projects that target high risk residential areas.
The council is divided into three interest areas: Education/Awareness, Regulations/Policy, and On-The-Ground Efforts. The Education Group is working on five �Wildfire Awareness� brochures that target homeowners, real estate agents, and insurance professionals. The brochures discuss the following topics:
1) Fire�s Natural Role;
2) Dealing with Fire Hazards;
3) Preparing for Wildfire;
4) Increasing Your Property Value;
5) Getting Involved With Community Efforts.
The On-the-Ground Group is investigating slash-disposal options, including working with Native American tribes in New Mexico to help dispose of yard waste. The Policy Group is looking at county efforts to promote better access and building materials through regulations.
Contact Information
For more information on the La Plata County Fire Plan contact Marsha Porter-Norton, via email, at [email protected], or call 970-375-0753; and Pamella Wilson, San Juan Public Lands Center Fire Information Officer, at 970-385-1230 or, via email, at [email protected].
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