Biden Administration announces $18 million in federal aid to mitigate future wildfires in Colorado

USDA Forest Service Chief Randy Moore visited Heil Valley Ranch in Lyons, Colorado. (Photo credit: US Forest Service)

On April 11, 2022, CPRW Executive Director Hally Strevey had the honor of attending the first stop in the Biden-Harris Rural Infrastructure Tour where U.S. Forest Service Chief Moore announced $18 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments that will be used to treat up to 10,000 acres across the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and the Pike-San Isabel National Forests. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “These two national forests are an important source of water for the Colorado Front Range, making it a critical landscape to reduce the likelihood, intensity and size of wildfires.” Also in attendance were Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Congressman Joe Neguse, Senator Michael Bennet, and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.

Dr. Tony Cheng (center), speaks with Sec. Deb Haaland at Heil Ranch in Boulder County during the Rural Infrastructure Tour.

CPRW Executive Director, Hally Strevey (blue vest), participates in a discussion about wildfire mitigation efforts on the Front Range of Colorado.

“These efforts to reduce wildfire risk to communities located in these landscapes are just the beginning,” said Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. “The first-year investments are a part of a 10-year strategy to reduce the exposure of communities and infrastructure to the risk of catastrophic wildfire. With each successive year we will plan and implement more, continuing to reduce the risks associated with extreme wildfire for communities in these vulnerable areas.”

Daniel Bowker, CPRW’s Forest & Fire Project Manager, lights slash piles at the Ben Delatour Scout Ranch near Red Feather Lakes, CO. (Evan Barrientos Photography)

Using the Upper Poudre Resiliency Plan as a guide, we focus our forest restoration work in high priority sub-drainages that are in most need of resiliency work to prevent the negative impacts to our communities, water supplies, and ecosystems from catastrophic wildfire, such as the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire. This important work could not be accomplished without collaboration and partnerships, which is why we work closely with many different government agencies and non-profits to increase resiliency and reduce wildfire risk across our forests. To date, CPRW and our partners have completed over 1,100 acres of collaborative forest mitigation projects. We look forward to continuing this collaborative work alongside our partners in the Northern Colorado Fireshed Collaborative and with local landowners.

For more info about CPRW’s forest restoration and wildfire mitigation projects please email Daniel Bowker at daniel@poudrewatershed.org.