Pine beetles (mountain pine beetle (MPB) and Ips beetles) are native to our forests, but their populations are on the increase due to climate change and the unhealthy state of our forests. Climate change has made for warmer winters, so more beetles are surviving the winters. Our trees are stressed due to old age, drought, and high density, making them less able to defend themselves from beetle attack. An MPB epidemic is heading our way, and the experts predict that none of our lodgepole pine will survive. We may be able to save some of our ponderosa pines, however, by acting now to thin those forests, thereby reducing density and increasing tree vigor.  CWPP projects aimed at reducing wildfire risk through tree thinning will also increase forest health and beetle resistance.  Once we have done our best to create a healthy forest, non-toxic products like verbenone may help protect our trees.

Unfortunately, the recent increase in beetle populations means that the logs and slash produced by these projects must be managed appropriately, adding to the cost. In addition, beetle-infested trees should be removed before the beetles reproduce and fly to attack new trees, also adding to the costs of forest management. For more information about pine beetles, how to manage thinning projects appropriately, as well as how to recognize and get rid of “hot” beetle trees, please read on.

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The most important things you can do to protect your family and your home from wildfire are:

• Create defensible space around your home (click for guidelines)
• Support the Gold Hill Fire Department and fundraising efforts for CWPP projects (see below)
• If a wildfire occurs, obey evacuation orders!

Gold Hill lies within what is termed the “wildland-urban interface,” or WUI (pronounced WOO-ee). This means our homes border lands with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels (i.e.trees/shrubs/grasses that will burn). Communities and residents within the WUI face substantial risk to life, property, and infrastructure. Wildland fire within the WUI is one of the most dangerous and complicated situations firefighters face. The Gold Hill Fire Protection District (GHFPD) has created a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) to help us understand and plan for the wildfire risks we face. The CWPP prioritizes areas within the fire district to receive fuels reduction treatments, recommends measures to reduce structural ignitability, and recommends ways to improve emergency preparedness. The CWPP was completed in December 2006, and can be viewed and/or downloaded at http://www.goldhillfire.org/cwpp.

The Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) prioritizes the areas in and around Gold Hill for hazardous fuels reduction projects as shown in the map below. The CWPP allows us to qualify for grant money to help fund these projects. The grant money almost always must be matched dollar for dollar by donations from other sources, such as private donations. If you can make a tax-deductible donation to improve wildfire protection in Gold Hill, please send it to GHFPD, Attn: CWPP, 1011 Main St, Gold Hill, CO 80302.

For information on the CWPP projects that have been completed or are underway, please read on.

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