North Rim Road Wildfire Mitigation

 

Project Background

The North Rim Road Wildfire Mitigation project will reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health along a critical evacuation corridor for private lands in the WUI, directly to the west of the community of Glacier View Meadows (GVM) in Larimer County. This area was identified as a priority for mitigation treatment in the 2022 Glacier View Fire Protection District (GVFPD) CWPP. This project will complement project work along the Elkhorn Creek corridor that has been ongoing since 2015.

This project is highly strategic as it builds upon 1,100 acres of wildfire mitigation work accomplished over 8 years by the ECFHI. The project will enhance previous work completed along North Rim Road, as well as many seasons of hand thinning & pile burning, mechanical forest restoration, & broadcast prescribed fire treatments on the Ben Delatour Scout Ranch & other nearby private properties. This area is identified as a priority for treatment in the 2022 GVFPD CWPP, which cites the need to mitigate extreme wildfire behavior should a fire approach GVM from the west, & to protect the vulnerable North Rim Road evacuation route for landowners in the area.

 

Treatment: Whole Tree Removal

Mechanical forest restoration involves using heavy forestry equipment to greatly reduce tree densities across all size classes, and increase the size and frequency of forest openings.

A fuelbreak will be created along the sections of North Rim Rd on these properties, following CSFS guidelines for total width (variable based on slope), crown spacing, leave trees, and groupings.

 Project Goals

  • Implement wildfire risk reduction actions to complement ongoing priority landscape-scale treatments along Elkhorn Creek, an important tributary to the Poudre River.

  • Protect water supplies and the surrounding community of Glacier View Meadows

Total project area: 35

Timeline: 2024-2027

Project Funders

Contact

  • Daniel Bowker, daniel@poudrewatershed.org