I_WMRC_2023A 07/18/2023 09:10:48 AM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
INTERIM COMMITTEE WILDFIRE MATTERS REVIEW COMMITTEE

Date

07/18/2023

Attendance
Dickson	R
Ginal	R
Jaquez Lewis	E
Lynch	X
Simpson	E
Snyder	X
Weinberg	R
Will	X
Cutter	*
Velasco	X

Time

09:10:48 AM to 03:52:04 PM

Place

Old Supreme Court

This Meeting was called to order by

Velasco

This Report was prepared by

Adam Alemzada

Hearing Items	Action Taken
hOpening Remarks	Committee Discussion Only
hDepartment of Public Safety, Division of Fire Prevention and Control	Committee Discussion Only
hNorthern Colorado Fireshed Collaboration	Committee Discussion Only
hDepartment of Natural Resources	Committee Discussion Only
hLunch	Committee Discussion Only
hColorado State Forest Service	Committee Discussion Only
hColorado Counties	Committee Discussion Only
hPublic Testimony	Committee Discussion Only
hCommittee Discussion on Next Steps	Committee Discussion Only

Opening Remarks - Committee Discussion Only

09:11:14 AM

Representative Velasco,
Chair, gave opening remarks to the Wildfire Matters Review committee.

09:12:15 AM

Samantha Falco, Legislative
Council Staff, and Pierce Lively, Office of Legislative Legal Services,
gave an overview of the committee charge and bill request process.

09:13:30 AM

Senator Cutter, Vice
Chair, gave opening remarks to the committee.

Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Prevention and Control - Committee Discussion Only


	09:14:59 AM	Chief Mike Morgan, Director of the Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) in the Department of Public Safety, and Chief Vaughn Jones, Wildfire Section Chief of the DFPC, gave a presentation on the DFPC. The presentation was an overview of the DFPC, their duties, and the services they provide. They also discussed the legislation passed by the committee during the 2022 interim. Their presentation can be found here: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/dps-_dfpc_presentation.pdf
	09:31:45 AM	Chief Morgan discussed the areas where wildfire risks are greatest and how the DFPC uses the state-managed resources. He also discussed the DFPC's ground-based and aviation resources.
	09:39:14 AM	Chief Morgan and Chief Jones responded to questions from the committee on the location and dispatch procedures of the DFPC's aviation resources like the Firehawk helicopter. They also responded to questions on the budget required for the DFPC's aviation resources.
	09:46:47 AM	Chief Morgan continued his presentation, discussing the fire prevention and control models used by the DFPC.
	09:54:06 AM	Chief Morgan and Chief Jones responded to questions from the committee on the eligibility requirements that a fire must meet for the DFPC to assist a local fire department, how much the state spends each year fighting fires, and the need to fund and train many of the state's fire departments.
	10:06:10 AM	Chief Morgan continued his presentation, discussing when a fire becomes the state's responsibility.
	10:16:28 AM	Chief Morgan and Chief Jones responded to questions about the current drought and fire conditions in the state and how those affect the DFPC's resource management.
	10:23:34 AM	Chief Morgan continued his presentation, giving an overview of the bills passed during the 2023 legislative session that impact the DFPC.
	10:43:35 AM	Chief Morgan discussed the wildfire related bills that did not pass during the 2023 legislative session and other topics of interest.

Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaboration - Committee Discussion Only


	11:06:13 AM	Corrina Marshall, Coordinator for the Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative (NCFC), County Commissioner Matt Jones, and Rob Addington, Director of the Nature Conservancy's Forest and Fire Program, introduced themselves and gave an overview of the NCFC. Their presentation can be found here: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/northern_colorado_fireshed_collaborative_0.pdf
	11:10:56 AM	Ms. Marshall discussed the areas and organizations associated with the NCFC and their plans to scale their programs.
	11:16:30 AM	Director Addington discussed the effects of the Marshall Fire and the importance of fire mitigation efforts.
	11:29:25 AM	Commissioner Jones discussed the forest management, prescribed fires, and other treatment approaches the NCFC supports and potential legislation that could help overcome the barriers to further fire mitigation.
	11:38:15 AM	Ms. Marshall and Director Addington responded to questions from the committee on the need for additional funding for fire prevention and the collaborative relationship between the NCFC, federal agencies, and nongovernmental organizations.

Department of Natural Resources - Committee Discussion Only


	12:02:32 PM	Angela Boag, Assistant Director for Climate and Forest Health in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Alison Lerch, Wildfire Mitigation Program Administrator, gave an overview of the DNR's role in wildfire management and watershed restoration and updates on wildfire-related programs. Their presentation can be found here: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/dnr_wildfirematters_presentation_07182023.pdf
	12:05:30 PM	Assistant Director Boag discussed the interagency collaboration between the DNR and the Colorado State Forest Service.
	12:09:50 PM	Ms. Lerch discussed the Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program and how the program's funding is being used for on-the-ground projects and training.
	12:22:05 PM	Assistant Director Boag and Ms. Lerch responded to questions from the committee on the collaborative efforts between the DNR and the DFPC, the priority areas of the DNR's fire prevention programs, and efforts to remove biomass from the forests.

Lunch - Committee Discussion Only


	12:27:56 PM	The committee broke for lunch.
	01:37:45 PM	The committee reconvened.

Colorado State Forest Service - Committee Discussion Only


	01:38:13 PM	James Lucero, Associate Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), gave an overview of the CSFS and it's different divisions. He discussed their plans for the upcoming years. Their presentation can be found here: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/csfs_wmrc_presentation.pdf
	01:43:14 PM	Associate Director Lucero discussed the CSFS's five-year strategic plan and their long-term goals.
	01:47:39 PM	The presentation continued with information on the different divisions within CSFS, including the new Policy & Legislative Affairs division.
	01:55:18 PM	Associate Director Lucero continued discussion with the CSFS's community outreach activities which are aimed at educating the public on how to prevent wildfires and how to protect their property if a wildfire occurs.
	02:00:23 PM	Associate Director Lucero discussed the impacts of bills passed in the 2022 and 2023 legislative session and responded to questions from the committee on the duties of some of the new positions being added to the CSFS and the level of participation in the Forest Restoration and Wildfire Risk Mitigation Grant program.

Colorado Counties - Committee Discussion Only

Attachment Tag

File Name

Attachment

Attachment A - Jeffco Wildfire Safe Infographic.pdf

02:08:47 PM

Lesley Dahlkemper, Jefferson County Commissioner, introduced Colorado Counties, Inc. (CCI) and her fellow county commissioners. She gave an overview of the issues facing Jefferson County as a result of wildfires, the grants that have been provided to address wildfires and how they are being used, and the steps counties are taking to protect their communities from wildfires.

Commissioner Dahlkemper distributed a handout (Attachment A).

02:17:02 PM

Commissioner Dahlkemper
responded to questions from the committee on the specific strategies Jefferson
County utilizes to mitigate fires and the merits of prescribed burns.

02:28:33 PM

Marsha Porter-Nelson, La Plata County Commissioner, discussed the increasing risk of wildfires due to climate change and rising temperatures. She explained how the amount of wildfires per year in La Plata has increased in recent years and how the grants provided by the state government have been helpful in combatting them.

02:38:22 PM

Commissioner Porter-Nelson responded to questions from the committee on prescribed burns.

02:41:56 PM

Greg Felt, Chaffee
County Commissioner, discussed the unique issues wildfires cause for rural
counties like his face and the benefits of using sales tax to fund wildfire
mitigation efforts.

02:52:05 PM

Commissioner Felt responded to questions from the committee on the revenue Chaffee County has received from their sales tax and what the state's priorities should be in assisting counties with their fire mitigation efforts.

02:55:24 PM

Jake Niece, Ouray County Commissioner, discussed how important wildfire mitigation is to counties that are almost entirely wild land, like Ouray. He discussed the projects Ouray has undertaken to reduce the risks of wildfires.

03:03:25 PM

Commissioner Niece responded to questions from the committee on how difficult it is to get home insurance in wildfire-prone areas.

03:04:44 PM

Alexis Kimbrough,
Director of Emergency Management, and Brad White, Fire Chief of Grand County
Fire Protection, discussed the prevalence of wildfires in Grand County,
the issues they have cause for their residents, and how helpful state grants
are for developing fire mitigation strategies.

03:16:55 PM

Dan Williams, Teller
County Commissioner, discussed the issues with wildfires that his county
has had as a result of the many tourists who camp and start fires there.

03:26:35 PM

Commissioner Williams responded to questions from the committee on the merits of a formalized agreement with military bases that would entail them assisting local governments during wildfires.

03:28:56 PM

Jody Shadduck-McNally,
Larimer County Commissioner, discussed the wildfire protection plan that
her county has been developing and the benefits of creating partnerships
with other counties and organizations.

Public Testimony - Committee Discussion Only


	03:41:37 PM	Michael McHugh, representing himself, testified. He discussed the positive impacts of Senate Bill 23-258.

Committee Discussion on Next Steps - Committee Discussion Only


	03:43:50 PM	The committee discussed potential additional committee meetings and field trips. The committee decided upon an additional informational meeting in August and an overnight field trip in September.

03:51:47 PM

The committee adjourned.

03:52:04 PM