Posted on: September 30th, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Sept. 30, 2014  Contact: Jim Webster, Boulder County Land Use, 303-564-2600

Boulder County hosts Wildfire Awareness Month events in October

Brett Lacey to present “Waldo Canyon: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” Oct. 30

Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County hosts Wildfire Awareness Month each October to help educate the community and promote individual responsibility in preparing for future wildfires.

A series of events is scheduled around education, wildfire mitigation and community slash chipping. More information and the latest schedule of events can be found at www.BoulderCountyWildfireAware.org.

Schedule of Events:

Fire Prevention Week

Dates: Oct. 5 – 11
What: Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month! The Great Colorado Fire Drill: Practice your home escape plan, www.greatcoloradofiredrill.org 

Forestry Work Project

When: Saturday, Oct. 11, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Location: Location will be given to registered participants
Details: Volunteers are needed to build slash piles from mechanically-thinned forestry projects on county open space properties. These efforts improve wildlife habitat, decrease fire danger, and enhance meadow ecosystems. Minimum age is 10 with adult supervision. Register online at www.BoulderCountyOpenSpace.org/wildwork. For more information contact Shane Milne at 303-678-6089 or smilne@nullbouldercounty.org.

Hike: Healthy Forest Ecology and Wildfire Mitigation Tips

When: Saturday, Oct. 18, 4 – 6 p.m.
Location: Nederland Community Forestry Sort Yard, 291 Ridge Rd, Nederland
Details: Join us for fun and informative “hike” exploring the forest at the Nederland sort yard. We will focus on how to properly manage your forest so it is healthier in the long-term. When cutting it is easy to make simple mistakes that could cause long-term forest health issues on your land. Blending the “art and science” of good forest management is key to your success. We will also talk about fall time wildfire awareness tips. As the leaves drop and the grasses turn brown it is an important time to not let your guard down.

What Is the Future of Colorado’s Forests?

When: Tuesday, Oct. 28, 6 – 8 p.m.
Location: University of Colorado-Denver, Lawrence Street Center, 2nd Floor Terrace Room, 1380 Lawrence Street, Denver
Details: The Union of Concerned Scientists and the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization recently released a report titled “Rocky Mountain Forests at Risk: Confronting Climate-driven Impacts from Insects, Wildfires, Heat, and Drought.” This event, hosted by the Wirth Chair in Sustainable Development at CU Denver, will feature a panel discussion regarding the report and its implications for Colorado’s forests.

Waldo Canyon: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

When: Thursday, Oct. 30, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Location: Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center, Boulder Reservoir, 5565 N. 51st St., Boulder (To reach the Fire Training Center, drive through the Boulder Reservoir’s main entrance, continue past the recreational facilities, and drive to the end of the road where the center is located.)
Details: The Waldo Canyon Fire near Colorado Springs killed two residents, destroyed 346 homes, scorched 18,247 acres, and forced more than 30,000 people to evacuate. At the time it was considered the worst wildfire in Colorado history. Brett Lacey, Fire Marshal of the Colorado Springs Fire Department, will share lessons learned from the fireline in his presentation “Waldo Canyon: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” A dynamic speaker, Fire Marshal Lacey is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and is a registered professional engineer and safety professional. He has worked in the fire service for over 34 years serving in the ranks of firefighter, paramedic and engineer up to his current position.

Community Chipping Events:

Several community chipping events are scheduled during October. As some events have geographic restrictions, residents are asked to determine if an event is being offered in their area. Residents are also able to haul slash and logs to the Nederland or Allenspark sort yard for no charge through October 18: www.bouldercounty.org/property/forest/pages/fhsortyards.aspx

Crestview Estates Neighborhood Event

What: Free Curbside Chipping

Who: Open to residents of Crestview Estates only

When: Oct.  8

Details: Deadline to sign up is Oct. 7. Email Rich at reb@nullgreen-mtn.com

Coal Creek Canyon Area Slash Collection Event

What: Centralized Collection Event – You Haul It

Who: Open to residents of Coal Creek Canyon Fire Protection District

When: Oct. 18 and 19

Contact: Email information@nullcoalcreekcanyonfd.org

Fourmile Canyon, Gold Hill and Lower Sunshine Canyon Area Event

What: Free Curbside Chipping

Who: Open to residents of Fourmile Fire, Gold Hill Fire, Poorman Road area, and Lower Sunshine Canyon Only

When: Sept. 29 - Oct. 3

Contact: Email Zach at zachsflittlefield@nullyahoo.com

Magnolia Road/ PUMA Community Chipping Event

What: Discounted Curbside Chipping

Who: Open to residents living off Magnolia Road only

When: Oct. 13

Details: Deadline to sign up is Oct. 10. Email Rob at robertjfrey@nullgmail.com

Sugarloaf Fire Protection District Event

What: Discounted Curbside Chipping

Who: Open to residents of Sugarloaf Fire only

When: Oct. 15

Details: Deadline to sign up is Oct. 14. Email CB at cbb@nullionet.net

Sunshine Fire Protection District Event

What: Free Curbside Chipping

Who: Open to residents of Sunshine Fire only

When: Oct. 6 - 10

Details: Deadline to sign up is Oct. 1. Email Abby at abberoo@nullmsn.com

-BoulderCounty.org-