Town with highest wildfire threat continues mitigation

30 December 2022

Published by: https://www.fox21news.com

USA – GREEN MOUNTAIN FALLS, Colo.) — According to Wildfirerisk.org, Green Mountain Falls, Colorado is one of the most vulnerable areas in Colorado, as well as the United States for wildfires. The town has several mitigation projects underway to protect the town in the event of a wildfire.

“Green Mountain Falls is the number one community in the state of Colorado at risk for wildfires. We are in the 99th percentile, and very little can be saved at this point if our town has a canopy fire,” said David Douglas, chair of the Green Mountain Falls Fire Mitigation Advisory Committee. “Our committee has been working with grant funding from the Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP) over the last few years to mitigate 81 acres of town-owned land, but we’re not where we should be.”

Another project is a mitigation effort on 23 acres of forested land called the Red Butte Recreational Area to promote the health of the forest. The effort, funded by the Historic Green Mountain Falls Foundation and CUSP, is reducing the fuel load by clearing undergrowth of the forest floor, thinning trees, and removing a substantial number of trees infected with Ips pine bark beetle and Douglas-fir beetles.

Mayor Todd Dixon said the town of Green Mountain Falls has accomplished more fire mitigation activity in the last two years than in many previous years.

“The Town has recently received an $82,200 grant to help continue fire mitigation efforts. This grant continues our partnership with the Mile High Youth Corp., which provides additional benefits of training youth,” said Dixon.

Dixon said the town will begin a new effort with CUSP to mitigate public property in town and collaborate with property owners for Town Right of Ways (RoWs) areas.

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