Today’s forest health outreach update covers the following topics:
* Forestry Tip of the Day: Did the Arctic Blast Kill many Beetles?
* Slash Pile Burning in Unincorporated Boulder County – A Guide to Open Burning
* Denver Botanic Gardens: Firescaping for Colorado Homes Program – Sat. Jan. 19

* Forestry Tip of the Day: Did the Arctic Blast Kill many Beetles? 
Forestry Tip of the Day: Many of you have been asking if the recent cold snap was enough to kill some of those pesky beetles. The short answer is likely no. It wasn’t quite cold enough to have much of an impact on beetle larvae locally.

According to Jeff Witcosky, local Entomologist with the USFS; the magic threshold temperature to kill beetles is -30F and below.  Remember that this temperature must be measured at the bark surface, not at a local weather station.  At this time of year (mid-winter) the mountain pine beetle larvae have reached their greatest level of cold-tolerance (glycol, an antifreeze- type substance within their tissues). Once the tissues of beetle larvae reach -30F or colder, ice crystals form in their cells, leading to the rupture of cell membranes and the death of the larvae.  Once this threshold temperature is reached or surpassed, the freezing process happens very quickly, on the order of minutes, and the larvae are killed at very high percentages.

Low temperatures, in the -15F to -25F range, even over sustained periods of time are not likely to cause considerable over-wintering larval mortality; although some mortality will occur due to natural variability within the populations of beetle larvae present. Also, keep in mind that the absence of an insulating layer of snow exposes larvae under the bark to near-air temperatures, while a thick snow blanket provides insulation and moderates temperature extremes.

Why is this important? Last weekends cold snap wasn’t quite cold enough to have much of an impact on beetle populations in Boulder County. However, some areas of the state likely reached and exceeded the critical cold threshold.

* Slash Pile Burning in Unincorporated Boulder County – A Guide to Open Burning
In early January 2012, the Colorado Governor passed legislation enacting Senate Bill 11-110, now  C.R.S. 30-15-401(n.5) (II), which requires that “certain boards of County Commissioners develop an open burning permit system for the purpose of safely disposing of slash”. The intent was to provide a safe alternative, burning slash, to reduce hazardous fuels on state and private lands. Ultimately this system will improve general public safety and forest health by supporting this means of slash disposal.

The law requires that the permitting system provides for; informing the landowner of appropriate considerations for safe and effective use of fire as a tool to remove unwanted forest and fire mitigation slash. Reinforce knowledge of local requirements of homeowner association, fire protection districts, and county ordinances to increase public awareness and protect public safety.

In a proactive approach, Boulder County passed Ordinance 2012-02, developing a new permitting system that will encompass public health, local fire protection districts and departments along with Boulder County into a “one stop” online application process. In addition, permits can be obtained by mail or picked up at many of the Boulder County Public Buildings around the county.

The streamlined process will ensure that the applicant has received educational materials providing safe guidelines for open burning. These include, consideration of smoke impacts to sensitive receptors, forestry basics, safe burning tips and notification and legal responsibilities. The process also ensures that public safety is considered during application review.

Please feel free to contact Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Fire Management Team at 303-441-4500 or bcfiremanagement@nullbouldercounty.org with question about the new system or for requests for a mailed application.

Important weblinks:
* Visit our Open Burn Permit webpage here: http://www.bouldercounty.org/safety/fire/pages/openburnpermit.aspx                         
* Read our “Guide to Burning – A Citizen’s Guide to Burning Safely and Legally in Unincorporated Boulder County” here:http://www.bouldercounty.org/find/library/publicsafety/burnpermitedbrochure.pdf 
* Apply for a burn permit online here: http://webpubapps.bouldercounty.org/Sheriff/SH_OpenBurnPermit/ 
* Download a paper burn permit application here: http://www.bouldercounty.org/find/library/publicsafety/burnpermitapp.pdf
* View a map of parcels that have already been issued permits: http://agstest1/gisapps/openburnpermitviewer

* Denver Botanic Gardens: Firescaping for Colorado Homes Program – Sat. Jan. 19
This Saturday, Jan. 19 the Denver Botanic Gardens is offering an educational program we thought some of you might be interested in attending.

The following info comes directly from the Denver Botanic Gardens: 2012 was a year that saw dramatic and devastating Western fires sweep across the landscape, and tragically, some of them reached homes. We’re opening 2013 with an interdisciplinary symposium that addresses western landscapes, homes and the real-world lessons from recent history. Experts from different fields of study will show you that anyone’s landscape can be attractive, low maintenance and fire resistant if you design your landscape to defend your home.

Presenters from across the West will explain defensible space, zones, building materials, roof composition, plant materials, mulches, and general principles of fire resistance. Plant attributes that decrease and increase flammability will be discussed and examples for Colorado will be illustrated. Speakers include BLM Botanist Roger Rosentreter, Colorado Springs Deputy Fire Marshal Kris Cooper.

The program is being offered this Saturday, Jan. 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Price: $50 for members and $60 for non-members. To register visithttp://www.botanicgardens.org/lectures/fire-scaping-colorado-homes or call 720-865-3580.

If you are unable to attend this upcoming program don’t agonize. Boulder County’s Forest Health Outreach Program plans to offer similar “firescaping” programs this spring and summer. Stay tuned for details, we are developing our spring/summer outreach programing right now.

Cheers,
Ryan

Ryan Ludlow | Forestry Education & Outreach Coordinator 
Boulder County | Land Use Department
P.O. Box 471, Boulder CO 80306
O: 720.564.2641 | F: 303.441.4856
rludlow@nullbouldercounty.org | www.bouldercounty.org/ForestHealth
*Please visit our website to sign-up to for our Forest Health Outreach email communication list. Learn about upcoming forestry community meetings, wildfire mitigation, bark beetle management tips and more!