Wildfires: Budget woes to affect fuels treatments, post-fire rehab

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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A wildfire burns in Keystone Gulch, near the base of Keystone Ski Area, in June, 2011.

Fewer firefighers, less wildfire fuels treatments and less post-fire rehab

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — The federal budget crunch means firefighters will have to do more with less this summer, federal officials said this week. Because of the sequester, the Forest Service will not fill 500 firefighting positions and will make do with 50 less engines on the ground.

“We are facing another dangerous wildfire season. We are prepared; we’re not as funded as we might be about 5 years from now, so teamwork is really critical to what we have to do,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, speaking Monday at a briefing at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise Idaho.

In particular, parts of the West are facing another challenging fire season, with greatest potential threats in the Pacific Coast states and into the interior northwest, including Idaho and southwest Montana, according to the center’s predictive services team. (more…)

Filed under: Colorado, Environment, forest fires, Forest health, pine beetles and wildfires, public lands, US Forest Service, wildfires | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

Breckenridge firefighters quell Barton Road blaze

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

A piece of logging machinery caught fire near Breckenridge, but firefighters were able to extinguish the flames before they spread to nearby forest lands. Photo courtesy Red, White & Blue Fire District.

Logging equipment destroyed in fire

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Observant neighbors and a quick response by local firefighters Wednesday helped prevent a potential wildfire near Breckenridge.

According to the Red, White & Blue Fire District, firefighters were called to a possible wildland fire in the area just above Barton Road and Airport Road in Breckenridge.

When firefighters arrived on scene, they found a piece of heavy equipment used for logging fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters made a quick attack to knock down the fire preventing it from spreading into nearby trees.

A total of seven firefighters worked to extinguish the fire.

The cause of the fire was determined to be a mechanical failure in the engine compartment.  The machine was a total loss and valued at $150,000.

“The quick action of the community seeing smoke and calling 911 helped prevent this fire from spreading,” said deputy chief Jay Nelson. “Our firefighters were able to begin containing and extinguishing this fire before it could spread to the nearby trees and thick pine duff” he said.

Colorado just experienced its worst fire season ever, with deadly blazes along the Front Range destroying several hundred homes. Nationally, wildfires have burned across almost 9 million acres, the most since 2006.

 

Filed under: Breckenridge, Colorado, forest fires, forests, Summit County Colorado | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Colorado: Udall, Bennet seek in-depth wildfire study

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Ash-covered ground and burned trees in the High Park fire zone. Photo courtesy InciWeb.

Letter to feds raises numerous questions about High Park, Waldo Canyon fires but doesn’t mention global warming

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO — Colorado’s two U.S. Senators are asking the U.S. Forest Service for an in-depth study of several major wildfires that destroyed hundreds of homes along the Front Range wildland-urban interface — the red zone, where up to 40 percent of the state’s population has chosen to live in areas where fires are a natural part of the ecosystem.

“The unprecedented nature and pattern of these fires calls for a systematic and scientific analysis to learn how we as a society can do better. Our goal is to make sure that the lessons learned — positive and negative — are captured and acted upon appropriately,” they wrote in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Colorado, Environment, forest fires, forests, global warming, US Forest Service, wildfires | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Gov. Hickenlooper to visit Frisco for forest health session

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Two meetings next week to focus on forest and wildfire issues

Summit County residents are invited to a forest health powwow with Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. Photo by Bob Berwyn.

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Grappling with the aftermath of Colorado’s most destructive wildfire season on record, state, federal and local officials will meet Oct. 12 for a half-day forest health summit at the Colorado History Center in Denver.

And in what could be a condensed preview of the Denver powwow, Gov. Hickenlooper will visit Summit County Oct. 10 to participate in a one-hour forest health and wildfire forum at the Summit County Community and Senior Center (10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.).

“Obviously Gov. Hickenlooper is the headliner … it’s an opportunity for Summit County to share with the Governor concerns, successes and opportunities on forest health,” said county commissioner Dan Gibbs, explaining that the session is partly aimed at sharing information about potential options to protect Colorado communities from a repeat of this past summer’s fires. (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Colorado, Environment, forest fires, Forest health, forests, global warming, pine beetles and wildfires, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news, wildfires | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Colorado: Highway 13 Fire near Rifle at 500 acres

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Multiple aircraft aim to keep flames west of Grand Hogback

The Highway 13 Fire is burning north of Rifle, Colorado.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The Highway 13 Fire, burning near Rifle, in western Colorado, has grown to 500 acres, but firefighters have been able to check the spread of the blaze despite winds gusting up to 25 mph.

According to Inciweb, there are structures in the general vicinity of the fire, but no evacuations have been ordered and Highway 13 remains open. The fire is about nine miles from Rifle Gap Reservoir, burning on the west side of the Grand Hogback in piñon-juniper woodlands and mixed conifer stands. (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Colorado, forest fires, forests, wildfires | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Summit County crews assigned to regional fires

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Summit County crews are helping out on several wildfires in the region.

Dry lighting still triggering small fires on Colorado Western Slope

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Firefighters have been able to contain a number of lightning-caused wildfires on the Western Slope of Colorado, including the Wrigley Fire and the Long Mesa Fire, burning in the BLM’s Black Canyon Wilderness area.

Elsewhere on the Western Slope, crews are still responding to reports of smoke and smaller fires, scattered primarily over the west and central zones, as thunderstorms continue to spark small blazes in dry fuel.

Suppression work on the Long Mesa Fire advanced using ground crews and helicopter assistance for logistics and some “bucket drops” of water. Better visibility and more accurate mapping capabilities reduced the affected area for this fire to 150 acres. Three crews continue to work on the fire in rough, rugged and remote terrain. (more…)

Filed under: Colorado, Environment, forest fires, Summit County Colorado, wildfires | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Forests: Red, dead needles burn faster

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Researchers continue to pinpoint the fire risk associated with beetle-killed trees.

New study helps quantify ignition time of beetle-killed trees

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Chemical changes in pine attacked by bark beetles start as soon as two weeks after the bugs start to burrow under the bark and make the trees more prone to ignition.

Overall, beetle-killed trees in the early and mid-stages of infestation may pose a greater risk of fast-spreading crown fires, though other factors are also important, including the structure of the tree, the presence or absence of ground and ladder fuels and terrain and weather. (more…)

Filed under: Colorado, forest fires, forests, pine beetles and wildfires | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Waldo Canyon Fire triples in size to 15,000 acres

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Numerous homes lost in Colorado Springs’s western suburbs

The Waldo Canyon Fire blazed into the western suburbs of Colorado Springs Tuesday.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The Waldo Canyon Fire likely destroyed scores of homes Tuesday as it  blew into the western edge of Colorado Springs, driven by late-afternoon winds up to 65 mph.

Fire officials did not release an exact number, saying they are still trying to get an accurate count, but confirmed that the fire nearly tripled in size, to more than 15,000 acres.

More than 30,000 people are still displaced by the fire under mandatory evacuation orders. Resources and information regarding evacuations are posted at the City of Colorado Springs website.

Smoke from the Waldo Canyon Fire as seen from the U.S. Air Force Academy. Photo courtesy Patrick Berwyn.

(more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Colorado, Drought, forest fires, wildfires | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Breckenridge enacts Stage 2 fire ban

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Restrictions emphasize zero-tolerance enforcement

Fire danger in Colorado has prompted widespread fire restrictions.

Extreme fire danger prevails across Colorado.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The Town of Breckenridge this week adopted Stage 2 fire restrictions in coordination with Stage 2 Fire Restrictions instituted by Summit County and the U.S. Forest Service.

The current fire danger in the area has been ranging between very high and extreme and the weather forecast predicts continued dryness with the potential for high winds.

“In this time of extreme fire danger it is incumbent on all of us to be diligent in our use of fire-producing products.” said Police Chief Shannon Haynes.“The department will take a zero tolerance approach to violations of the Mayor’s declaration and the Town of Breckenridge Municipal Court will assess fines up to $999 with possible jail time of 364 days for convicted offenders.” (more…)

Filed under: Breckenridge, Breckenridge town council, climate and weather, Colorado, Drought, Environment, forest fires, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news, wildfires | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Fire danger prompts Frisco to cancel July 4th fireworks

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Safety and wildfire concerns drive difficult decision

Frisco’s Fourth of July includes a fabulous Main Street parade.

No Fireworks in Frisco this Fourth of July.

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — After serious discussion and soul-searching — not to mention some sobering input from Sheriff John Minor and local fire officials — the Frisco Town Council voted Tuesday night to cancel the traditional July 4th fireworks due to wildfire and public safety concerns.

The town may reschedule a fireworks display or create a new event sometime later in the summer, according to a press release from the town.

In a year when fuel moisture is at record low levels, it would only take one stray ember or spark to start a fire in forests or grasslands around the Reservoir.

In a letter to the town council, Sheriff Minor spelled out his concerns and said that the town would have taken on sole responsibility and liability for any damages resulting from a fire caused by fireworks or related activities. More details in this Summit Voice story. (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Colorado, Drought, events, forest fires, Frisco, wildfires | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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