Lower North Fork Fire & Prescribed Fire Review

Plenty of attorneys and homeowners who see it differently.

And as more is revealed there will be more lawsuits.

The findings have defined the agency who started the fire and how they failed spelled out in detail.

Something I haven't seen mentioned here: if the Colorado Forest Service is found to be negligent and is sued, isn't any money that may be collected ultimately coming from the taxpayers.... you and I?

Raees wrote: Something I haven't seen mentioned here: if the Colorado Forest Service is found to be negligent and is sued, isn't any money that may be collected ultimately coming from the taxpayers.... you and I?

I believe so.

Raees wrote: Something I haven't seen mentioned here: if the Colorado Forest Service is found to be negligent and is sued, isn't any money that may be collected ultimately coming from the taxpayers.... you and I?

Yes, if the legislature approves an amount beyond the $600,000 limit the taxpayers pick up the tab.

I doubt that the legislature will ever say that CSFS was negligent. And whatever amount would have to be divided among those affected plus the insurance companies and more than likely there won't be enough to fully compensate, probably only partial.

But it is the least they could do considering that CSFS screwed up so badly.

Reminds me of another tragedy where the state was responsible.

http://kwgn.com/2012/03/29/colorados-da ... s-tragedy/

Thanks for the link Raees. I remember that one, mostly because my parents were concerned about driving in the high country.

There are number of homeowners who don't have the money for a rebuild. Some had very small homes and insurance accordingly. It doesn't make sense to up the insurance when homeowners know the insurance will only pay out for actual. It rarely covers land, sometimes leach fields, septics and wells if damaged. Because a number of them are on steep terrain, the erosion will be horrendous. The state forest service offer seedling trees, seeds, mulch, etc. to the homeowners but they have to pay for it and isn't covered by insurance. Now some homeowners have the added cost of having to upgrade a mile of road because the fire department won't service them in the future. Which means insurance companies won't insure and banks won't give loans without insurance. Their nightmare has only just begun.

Even if they raise the ceiling on liability it still will not cover the massive costs of so many affected homeowners.

But it is the least they could do considering that CSFS screwed up so badly.

IMO, that is yet to be shown. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't.

I will wait for more information before I decide.

Raees wrote: Something I haven't seen mentioned here: if the Colorado Forest Service is found to be negligent and is sued, isn't any money that may be collected ultimately coming from the taxpayers.... you and I?

In a MACRO sense,EVERYTHING comes from the taxpayer.......the insurance companies WILL RAISE rates (again),because of this
fiasco. Those individuals who elect to live in the mountains WILL be scrutinized and thier policies tightened because of this fiasco. We
are PRESENTLY paying for the choices all of our elected officials (both state and federal) are making. Read elaborate and expensive
dinner parties and individuals (who are tasked with protecting our President) soliciting for payed sex......WE pay for those salaries and
those questionable choices. So-o-o from my POV, If it is coming out of my "paycheck" I would rather see families made whole again
(or as CLOSE to whole as possible) and know that the money did something "good and decent".......we are ALL responsible for this,
federal,state AND the mountain community......DO THE RIGHT THING......(what a concept).JMO

jf1acai wrote:

But it is the least they could do considering that CSFS screwed up so badly.

IMO, that is yet to be shown. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't.

I will wait for more information before I decide.

Yes you have mentioned that several times and you are still here even though you are waiting for information, but it seems officials and legislators are talking about moving on w/o you.

homeagain wrote:

Raees wrote: Something I haven't seen mentioned here: if the Colorado Forest Service is found to be negligent and is sued, isn't any money that may be collected ultimately coming from the taxpayers.... you and I?

In a MACRO sense,EVERYTHING comes from the taxpayer.......the insurance companies WILL RAISE rates (again),because of this
fiasco. Those individuals who elect to live in the mountains WILL be scrutinized and thier policies tightened because of this fiasco. We
are PRESENTLY paying for the choices all of our elected officials (both state and federal) are making. Read elaborate and expensive
dinner parties and individuals (who are tasked with protecting our President) soliciting for payed sex......WE pay for those salaries and
those questionable choices. So-o-o from my POV, If it is coming out of my "paycheck" I would rather see families made whole again
(or as CLOSE to whole as possible) and know that the money did something "good and decent".......we are ALL responsible for this,
federal,state AND the mountain community......DO THE RIGHT THING......(what a concept).JMO

I'm with you Homeagain. I am not in favor of higher taxes but when there is some error by the state as has been already established, it makes sense to try to make those injured whole. I don't remember how many millions they assessed were lost from this fire and it will probably only be a drop in the bucket as to reimbursement by the government, not the millions lost.

I am hoping that it will also make CSFS more diligent in their efforts if they are even going to do controlled burns. With all the overgrowth which often surrounds these burns, it appears they are asking for trouble. US Forest Service taught us, someone said it was the Agate burn but I haven't been able to confirm, that winds can stir controlled burn from months before and it can get out of control.

Even now I dread any high winds as the Lower North Fork Fire still has areas of hot spots which I doubt are being watched by anyone, except maybe homeowners. There is still a lot of steep and a lot of green outside the hottest part of the burn area that still could go up in flames.