Today’s forest health outreach update covers the following topics:
*Forest Stewardship Tip of the Day: Win a new STIHL chainsaw, $300 gift card, STIHL weed trimmer and more!
*Wildfire Mitigation Challenge Outreach: Week Number One – Maintaining Defensible Space
*October is Wildfire Awareness Month: Attend an Event

*Forestry Tip of the Day: Win a new STIHL chainsaw, $300 gift card, weed trimmer and more!
Forestry Tip of the Day: Have you signed up for the Wildfire Mitigation Challenge yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Signing up is fast and easy. Everyone who joins the Challenge has a chance to win a STIHL MS 250  chainsaw package, a STIHL MS 290 chainsaw, a STIHL FS 45 weed trimmer, one $300 gift card and twelve $100 gift cards to local hardware stores! The Challenge encourages landowners to take action and implement wildfire mitigation during the month of October. Signup online atwww.BoulderCountyWildfireAware.org

Many of you have probably already completed some of the action that we encourage you to take during the Challenge. For instance, if you already cut your grass or if you already moved your firewood piles than you can immediately check off two tasks on the Challenge Checklist.

Why is this important??  Join the Wildfire Mitigation Challenge and have a chance to win prizes and protect your home from future wildfires. It can’t get any easier than that! Special thanks go to our sponsors Indian Peaks ACE hardware in Nederland and STIHL for donating the forestry equipment!

*Wildfire Mitigation Challenge Outreach: Week Number One – Maintaining Defensible Space
Thanks to everyone who already signed up for the Wildfire Mitigation Challenge. The following information complements week # 1 challenge checklist tasks.

The theme for week one of the Challenge is “maintaining your defensible space.” A weedwhip, rake, gloves and a ladder are the only tools needed to complete week ones tasks. Wildfire mitigation research strongly suggests that there are many little things that can be done to dramatically improve the chances of your home surviving the next fire. Most homes ignite because little things are overlooked right around the home.

Watch this video to learn more about flying embers. This video demonstrates why your gutters and on and under your decks should be complete free of flammable materials.  Watch here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=124940017600406 (you don’t need to join Facebook to watch).

Is your deck putting you at risk? Follow this link to learn more about why keeping nothing flammable on and under your decks is so important.http://disastersafety.org/disastersafety/is-your-deck-putting-your-home-at-risk-in-a-wildfire/

We challenge you to get out there this weekend and complete as many of week # 1 challenge checklist tasks as possible.

October Wildfire Awareness Month: Attend an Event to Learn about our Fire Dependent Forest Ecosystems 
Visit www.BoulderCountyWildfireAware.org for a full list of October Wildfire Awareness Month activities. All events are free of charge. Some events require an RSVP.

*On Sat., Oct. 13 volunteer to help restore ponderosa pine forests at Hall Ranch Open Space. Your volunteer efforts help improve wildlife habitat, decrease fire danger and enhance meadow ecosystems. To register, please visit www.BoulderCountyOpenSpace.org/wildwork, or call Shane Milne at 303-678-6089.

*On Sat., Oct. 6, (9 a.m to 3 p.m.) take part in a community chipping day in Lefthand Canyon at Fire Station #4. Haul your cut slash and logs to this free of charge chipping day. Slash and logs up to 12 inches in diameter will be accepted. Visit us online for complete details on what will and won’t be accepted.http://www.bouldercounty.org/property/forest/pages/foresthealthevents.aspx

*NEW EVENT: On Sat., Oct. 13, (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) join the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Fire Management team at a free wildfire mitigation and slash pile building workshop in Nederland. Learn how to put ideas into action, focusing on how to safely build and burn slash piles. Participants will be actively involved in all steps of the process, including tree selection, limbing and bucking, pile construction, pile ignition, monitoring and final mop-up. No registration is required. Please bring a sack lunch, work gloves, closed toe shoes and dress for the weather. Meet at the Nederland Elementary School, 1 Sundown Trail. Questions contact Ashley Garrison, agarrison@nullbouldercounty.org or call 720-564-2673.

* On Sat, Oct. 13 (10 a.m. to noon) join volunteer naturalists for a moderate one-mile hike to learn about the natural role of fire in ponderosa pine ecosystems, and forest management practices that lessen the effects and scale of wildfires. You will see evidence of the Fourmile Canyon fire, learn about rehabilitation efforts that were employed, and observe how this ecosystem has recovered so far. To register, please call Larry Colbenson, 303-678-6214, lcolbenson@nullbouldercounty.org,http://www.bouldercounty.org/pages/eventdetails.aspx?EventID=1377

*On Sat., Oct. 13 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) take part in another community chipping day in Fourmile Canyon at the Logan Mill Fire Station. Haul your cut slash and logs to this free of charge chipping day. Slash and logs up to 6 inches in diameter will be accepted. Visit us online for complete details on what will and won’t be accepted.http://www.bouldercounty.org/property/forest/pages/foresthealthevents.aspx

*On Sun., Oct., 14 attend an outdoor Wildfire Mitigation workshop focused on the “The Home Ignition Zone.” Join Colorado State Forest Service and Boulder County outreach foresters to learn how to identify mitigation actions you can take to reduce the ignitability of your home. The workshop will be held at a home in the foothills of Boulder County. We will tour the outside of the home and critically evaluate the homes strengths and weakness in relation to wildfire. To register, call Deb Rice, 303-441-3922,drice@nullbouldercounty.org  More details are available online: http://www.bouldercounty.org/property/forest/pages/foresthealthevents.aspx

Visit us online www.BoulderCountyWildfireAware.org for information about events scheduled later in the month.

Be Aware, Be Prepared, Be Firewise!

Cheers,
Ryan

Ryan Ludlow | Forestry Education & Outreach Coordinator 
Boulder County | Land Use Department
O: 720.564.2641 | F: 303.441.4856
rludlow@nullbouldercounty.org | www.bouldercounty.org/ForestHealth
*Please visit our website to sign-up to receive emails about forestry workshops, community meetings, bark beetle management tips and more!