FLOOD03008

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Colorado Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex I
• Date: 8/1/1995
• Prepared For: State of Colorado
• Prepared By: USFWS
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Mitigation/Flood Warning/Watershed Restoration

Problem C: Preparedness

Issue Co!: Fire Agreements
Background: Fire agreements among Colorado agencies have existed since the
1950s. To help link ferderal fire assistance to counties, Colorado State Forest Service
signed a new cooperative fire agreement with the federal land managment agencies in
1994. BUl not all counties have a basic fire agreement with Colorado State Forest
Service to complete the linkage.

Also, some of the basic state-county cooperative wildfire agreements are noL consisLent
throughoUL Colorado. Annual Fire Operating Plans have been improved bUL do noL exist
in every county. Few meet the latesL standards.

Because of possible state involvement in mitigation and wildfire suppression, the State
Forester should be involved in or a party to all federal and county fire agreements
covering inLerface areas.

Action Element: Review current wildfire agreements and deLermine need for new
agreements, Execute standard, basic, staLe-counLy wildfire agreements and update as
needed statewide. Update state,federal agreement as needed. Involve State Forester in
federal or counLy fire agreements. Standardize Annual Fire Operating Plans to new
formats in all counties with agreements.

Agencies: Colorado State ForesL Service, counLy sheriffs *j* boards of county
commissioners, federal land management agencies, local fire departments in the county.

Estimated Costs: Staff time.

Funding Sources: Existing budgets,

Schedule: Review annually.

.

.

Issue C-2: Fire Annexes for Local Emergency Operations Plans
Background: All counLies are required to have a local emergency operations plan.
Such plans need a Fire Annex to specify responsibilities and procedures needed for each
component of fire management The Office of Emergency Management developed a
model Fire Annex in 1993, Annual Fire Operating Plans exist in some counties for
wildfire agreements and should be included in the Fire AlUlex.

Action Element: Local entities include a Fire Annex in their required local
emergency operations plans; Fire Annex should include:
a. Fire suppression responsibilities.

b. Procedures - both standard and agency unique.

c. Waming and evacuation responsibilities.
d. Sheltering responsibilities.
e. Public information responsibilities.
f. Fuels management responsibilities.
g. Copy of current Annual Operating Plan for wildfires.
Agencies: County emergency office *r Stale Office of Emergency Management,
sheriff, local fire chiefs, Colorado State ForesL Service, federal wildfire agencies with
lands in the county.

Estimated Costs: SLafftime.

Funding Sources: Normal agency program funds.

Schedule: Initiate immediately and update annually.

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