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Colorado Wildfire Hazard The main aspects of intermix wildfires are: e People cause most of the fires. e Structure fires create risks to cuJjacent forest and brush lands. e Wildfires create risks to cuJjacent structures. e Adequate {ire protection may not exist for struc. tures. e Structure fires create safety risks to wildland fire- fighters. e Wildfire suppression costs are not fairly bo~ by those who create the risk in the intermix. e Threatened structures change wildfire suppres- sion priorities. e Structure and wildland fire protection agencies have a need for close coordination. e It is difficult to mobilize available fire resources {rom across the state. The Costs and Who Pays The intermix wildfire hazard imposes significant fire protection costs on various segments of Colorado's population. Aside from the impacted landowners, Colorado taxpayers cover most of the costs of fire sup- pression (depending on whether local, county, or state fire forces are used). If federal assistance is required, all taxpayers contribute. When forest and watershed fires burn unchecked, an important Colorado resource is destroyed. This can eventually result in a loss of tax revenues. Again, all Coloradans pay. The risks and extra fire suppression costs that result from the existence of homes in the urban/wildland in- termix effect all citizens of Colorado, either by threats to public areas, shifts of scarce tax dollars, increased taxes, losses of valuable watershed, or increased in- surance premiums. The question is not whether to provide fire protection, but whether the increased costs of protecting those who contribute most to the problem are allocated fairly. Five major problems or issues need to be addressed concerning Colorado's urban/wildland intermix fire threat: (1) education and awareness, (2) preparedness, (3) legislation/regulation, (4) emergency response, and (5) secondary hazards. Each of these problems con- tributes significantly to Colorado's overall wildfire hazard situation. They will continue to surface as the intermix situation intensifies or as solutions are de- layed. Mitigation Approaches There are four methods of mitigating wildfire hazards: 1. Acting on the hazard. . Fire prevention actions that target fuels or ignition sources to eliminate the hazard. . Fast, effective fire suppression action that eliminates the threat of a disaster. 2. Redirecting the hazard. . Fire suppression actions that keep an en- croaching wildfire away from structures or more vulnerable areas. 3. Interacting with the hazard. . Vegetation management, fuel breaks, or fire safety provisions incorporated into building codes or development regulations which re- sult in better survival of structures in wild- fires. 4. Avoiding the hazard. . Greenbelt or open space projects which cre- ate beneficial uses while restricting struc- tures from wildfire-prone areas. 37