Udall Welcomes Colorado Springs Report on Waldo Canyon Fire Response
City Review Follows Senate Hearing, Federal After-Action Review on Waldo Canyon Fire
Mark Udall welcomed a preliminary report released today by the city of Colorado Springs that detailed the magnitude of the Waldo Canyon Fire and reviewed the city’s response.
“The Waldo Canyon Fire was a catastrophic wildfire that tested agencies at the local, state and federal level. We can always improve our response to wildfires and we can always learn,” Udall said. “Wildfires are an unfortunate part of life in Colorado, but it is because of reviews like this one and those I led in the wake of the devastating 2012 fire season that we will be better prepared to protect life and property in future blazes.”
Udall, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has been a leader on forest health and wildfire issues throughout his time working in Congress. Udall recently requested a federal review of the Waldo Canyon Fire and attended the 2012 Forest Health Summit in Denver, where he delivered introductory remarks.
“I look forward to working with Mayor Steve Bach, the Colorado Springs City Council, El Paso County Commissioners and the communities throughout El Paso County to provide them with whatever federal assistance is available to help them brace for future fires and to make their residents safer,” Udall added.
Udall also has been a champion of encouraging homeowners living in wildfire-prone areas to take the steps necessary to lower their wildfire risk. According to a U.S. Forest Service study of the 2010 Fourmile Canyon Fire in Boulder County – a study Udall requested – the condition of the Home Ignition Zone, the design, materials and the maintenance of the home and the area 100 feet around it, is critical to determining if a home will survive a wildfire.
Udall has encouraged business owners and residents living in and around the areas affected by this year’s record-setting Waldo Canyon and High Park fires to utilize the available federal resources, including loan assistance and flood-insurance waivers, to help them and their communities recover.
For more information on how you can work on wildfire prevention for your home or in your community, please visit www.ready.gov/wildfires.