Summit County Forest Health and Wildfire Mitigation

Summit County CSU Extension partners with many local organizations throughout the community to support forest health and wildfire mitigation education, in accordance with the Summit County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (pdf). CSU Extension also administers the Summit County Wildfire Council, which guides the implementation of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

For educational presentations on forest health and wildfire preparedness, contact Dan Schroder at (970) 668-4140 or dan.schroder@colostate.edu.

2023 Summit County Wildfire Council’s Public Field Trips

***we are saving September for whatever comes up***

Clearcuts Through the Ages” Come join Summit County wildfire mitigation and forest management agencies to see and discuss clearcut treatments in Barton Creek from thirty, ten, and only one year ago. You will get a picture of how our Lodgepole pine forests respond to these treatments and what is being done to maintain the treatments as the trees grow back.
July 5th, 4pm-6pm. Meet at Barton Road and Airport Road in Breckenridge. We will carpool for a 10 minute drive from there. Wear good walking shoes.

 “Subalpine Forest Ecology and the Role of Disturbance” This month Summit County wildfire mitigation and forest management agencies will be going out to the historic Soda Creek Range to get a panoramic view of our Lodgepole forest landscape. We will discuss the historic role that wildfire has played in the local ecology and how our ongoing wildfire mitigation efforts mimic those disturbance processes.
August 2nd, 4pm-6pm. Meet at the gate at the end of Keystone Ranch Road. We will all drive out to the Soda Creek Ranch from there. Wear good walking shoes. 

Living with Wildfire” For the final field trip of the year, Summit County wildfire mitigation and forest management agencies will be revisiting the 2018 Buffalo Fire scar. We will discuss suppression operations when firefighting crews first got on the scene, how fire was influenced by the existing fuel treatment, and restoration efforts following the incident. (Please note: if we have the opportunity to visit a 2023 fire scar, the meeting location may change)
October 4th, 4pm-6pm. Meet at Buffalo Mountain Trailhead on Ryan Gulch Road. Wear good walking shoes. 

Summit County Fire Restrictions

The Office of Emergency Management provides information on current fire restrictions in Summit County.

Wildfire Mitigation Efforts StoryMap

We've put together an interactive presentation in "Story Map" format to present information on our mitigation efforts. You can scroll the presentation above or Click here to view it in full in a new browser window.

Defensible Space

Defensible space is an area around a home or other structure where vegetation has been cleared or reduced to slow the spread of wildfire. Defensible space also creates a safe zone for firefighters to work, and it reduces the chance that a structure fire will move to the surrounding forest or other homes. Learn more about defensible space.

Tree Spacing Graphic for defensible space

Summit County Wildfire Council

The Summit County Wildfire Council works to mitigate wildfire risk in Summit County, through implementation of the Summit County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (pdf). The council includes representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado State Forest Service, local fire protection districts, towns, river basins, and Summit County government. Learn more about the Summit County Wildfire Council.

Community Wildfire Protection Grants

The Summit County Wildfire Council provides matching grants to eligible homeowner groups to conduct hazardous fuels reduction and other projects to protect their properties from wildfire. These funds are available through a Summit County mill levy approved by voters in 2008. Learn more about Summit County’s community wildfire mitigation grants.  

Summit County Forestry Contractors (pdf)

Chipping Program

Summit County government and Summit County Wildfire Council are helping residents and property owners create defensible space by providing free chipping and disposal of branches, logs and small trees.  If you clear woody vegetation from around your home and stack it in a slash pile, we'll chip it and haul it away for free. Learn more about the Summit County Chipping Program.  

Chipping Truck and Crew

Related Links and Resources

   

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Colorado State University Extension is an equal opportunity provider. | Colorado State University Extension es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

Colorado State University does not discriminate on the basis of disability and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations. | Colorado State University no discrimina por motivos de discapacidad y se compromete a proporcionar adaptaciones razonables.

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