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<br />..,. .-4., <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />D 025 02 <br /> <br />EXECUTIVE ORDER <br /> <br />Concerning the Threat of Flooding in Areas Affected by Recent Wildfires <br /> <br />Pursuant to the authority vested in the Office of the Governor of the State of Colorado, <br />and in particular Section 24-32-2101 el seq. of the Colorado Revised Statutes, I, Bill Owens. <br />Governor of the State of Colorado, hereby issue this Executive Order declaring a disaster <br />emergency due to the imminent threat of flood in areas affected by wildfires. <br /> <br />1. <br /> <br />Back!m>und and Need. <br /> <br />Over the past 5 months, Colorado has experienced the most destructive wildfire season <br />in state history. To date, 2,031 wildfires have burned a total of 501,686 acres <br />throughout the state. While the risk of additional wildflfes remains, we must begin the <br />process of restoring areas of this state destroyed during the 2002 fire season. <br /> <br />The restoration of soils in watershed areas must be a priority in this recovery effort. <br />The 2002 fires have left many hillsides completely barren. This situation creates a <br />serious risk of flooding, contamination of water sources, and accelerated erosion. For <br />example, in 1996 a wildfire burned 12,000 acres near Buffalo Creek. In the months <br />following the fire, nwnerous flash floods ensued, culminating in a major flood that <br />claimed two lives, caused extensive damage and left many residents without water for <br />a month. <br /> <br />Given the vast acreage consumed by the 2002 wildfires, the state faces a serious risk <br />of floods in the months and years ahead. Immediate measures must be taken to <br />respond to this threat. <br /> <br />The United States Department of Agriculture recently released $13 million to the <br />Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to restore burned watersheds in <br />Colorado. However, access to these funds requires a 25 percent match from non- <br />federal sources. The match can be achieved with cash funding or in kind <br />contributions. <br /> <br />One purpose of the Disaster Emergency Act is to "[p]rovide a setting conducive to the <br />rapid and orderly start of restoration and rehabilitation of persons and property <br />affected by disasters;" Colorado Revised Statutes ~ 24-32c2102. The Act defllles <br />disasters as "the occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, <br />