Reducing wildfire risk is a top priority for the county as we work closely with fire chiefs, the Jeffco Sheriff’s Office, Jeffco Open Space, Jeffco Planning and Zoning, forest health managers, water experts, community leaders and others to help address this pressing issue, including:
• Creating the county’s first ever Wildfire Risk Reduction Task Force, which is made up of 31 members representing stakeholders across Jeffco. Late last year, task force members presented several recommendations to county commissioners focused on forest mitigation, community education and funding. See the task force’s recommendations at:
bit.ly/3tHRrwL
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• Enhancing the county’s building and residential codes to harden new and existing homes against wildfire risk. This work was done at the urging – and in partnership – with Foothills fire chiefs who worked with Jeffco Building Safety leaders to create new codes later approved by county commissioners.
• Improving forest health on 1,000 acres of Jeffco Open Space over the next five years by significantly thinning dense tree stands. This seven-fold increase in activity will reduce wildfire fuels and risk in mountain areas.
Still, more work remains as we address growth and development in high fire risk areas.
Tracy Kraft-Tharp, Andy Kerr and Lesley Dahlkemper comprise the Board of County Commissioners for Jefferson County. They can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or individually at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
From CO Politics: “Jefferson County Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper noted that two-thirds of the county is in the wildland-urban interface, with much of the fuels coming from dense Conifer forests, which burn quickly. One of the areas commissioners look at is the wildfire risk and how it intersects with planning and zoning.”
www.coloradopolitics.com/legislature/cou...KcT8PcU069mHQpi1ssfI
