To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Tyler S. Brown, Sheriff
Prepared By:
prepared
Steven Peck, Emergency Management Coordinator, OEM
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Subject:
title
Arapahoe County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The purpose of this is to request the Board of County Commissioners authorize the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners to sign the 2022 Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The plan requires a wet ink signature.
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Background and Discussion: Community Wildfire Protection Plans are authorized and defined in Title I of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) passed by Congress on November 21, 2003 and signed into law by President Bush on December 3, 2003. Per state statute (SB 09-001), counties are required to complete and maintain a CWPP to identify fire hazard areas within the unincorporated areas of the county. Further, the County has adopted the CWPP by reference into the Arapahoe County Comprehensive Plan.
The HFRA extends a variety of benefits to communities with a plan such as:
1) The option to establish localized definitions and boundaries for areas having high Risk (potential), Hazards (fuels) and Values; and
2) The opportunity to help shape management priorities for federal and non-federal lands within the planning area.
The purpose of this document is to provide stakeholders and those living in Arapahoe County with an overview of the wildland fire risks, hazards and values within the planning area, recommend possible courses of action to reduce the impacts of wildfire in the planned area, and to develop an implementation plan. The CWPP is not intended to identify parcel level specifics, nor does it identify individual community fuels treatment priorities. The Sheriff’s Office plays an active role in the CWPP. This item was presented to the Board at drop-in on November 14, 2022, where it was approved for addition to the consent agenda.
Alternatives: There are no other alternatives.
Fiscal Impact: None
Alignment with Strategic Plan:
☐Be fiscally sustainable
☒Provide essential and mandated service
☐Be community focused
Concurrence: Tyler S. Brown, Sheriff; Glenn Thompson, Bureau Chief; Kenneth McKlem, Captain; All Fire Chiefs within Arapahoe County; Spencer Weston, Colorado State Forest Service.
Resolution: Attached is a copy of the draft resolution.