Press Release- April 19, 2007
OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2007
Contact:
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370
GOV. RITTER BRIEFED ON WILDFIRE READINESS FOR ¿07 SEASON
Gov. Bill Ritter today received briefings from multiple state and federal agencies concerning the state¿s readiness to combat a wildfire season that could be more active than usual.
¿At this time last year we had already experienced one large fire and many smaller ones that burned three times the acreage burned in all of 2005,¿ Ritter said. ¿The snow and rain that we experienced this past winter and in early April have delayed the onset of fire season.
¿We¿re grateful for that, but we are also aware that there are abundant fuels and predicted weather that could make for a very active fire season,¿ the governor added. ¿We¿re here today to let Coloradans know we will do everything possible to protect our environment and our communities, but we need their help as well.¿
At the governor¿s annual fire briefing, Ritter reviewed the wildfire preparedness plan, authorized by legislation passed in 2006 and made possible by an executive order recently signed by Gov. Ritter allocating $3.25 million to fund wildfire suppression efforts around the state.
With the funds, the state will have three single engine air tankers under contract during the fire season. The tankers will be used for critical first strikes, positioned around the state wherever fire danger is highest. The state also will have 10 fire engines positioned throughout the so-called Red Zones, the wildland-urban interface areas where dwellings are especially vulnerable. Three state inmate crews specifically trained and equipped for wildland firefighting are available for suppression and fuels mitigation work.
Again this year, the state will have helicopters and support resources available from the Colorado National Guard.
¿Positioning our resources in the most critical areas has been a highly successful strategy in recent years,¿ Ritter said. ¿The state Forest Service reports that 99 percent of the wildfires last year were contained at less than 100 acres through swift response by local fire departments and use of state resources.¿
Ritter said that if additional money for wildfire suppression is necessary during the summer, the state will find the necessary funds.
Ritter also emphasized the need for communities and land managers to work together to proactively address high risk forest conditions so that wildfires are easier to suppress and do not pose such a threat to people, homes and watersheds.
¿I was pleased to sign H.B. 1168 last week which gives local governments the opportunity to work with their constituents to establish Forest Improvement Districts,¿ Ritter said. ¿Through this new authority, communities can generate much-needed resources to implement high priority fire risk reduction and forest health improvement projects on non-federal lands.¿
Recent fire statistics:
- In 2006, 3,294 fires burned 201,809 non-federal acres, almost 1,200 fires more than in 2005;
- In 2006, State Single Engine Air Tankers flew on 95 separate fires, 49 more than in 2005;
- In 2006, State Interface Engines responded to 192 separate fires, 159 more than in 2005;
- In 2006, Colorado Inmate Fire Crews were assigned to 40 separate fires, 23 more than in 2005.
Wildfire potential in Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana, and Idaho is also very high and is expected to draw firefighting resources away from Colorado.
Agencies participating in the annual wildfire preparedness briefing for the governor include the State Forest Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, the state Division of Emergency Management, state Department of Corrections, state Department of Natural Resources, and the Colorado National Guard.