Date: 09/04/2015
Final
Prescribed Burning
WILDFIRE MATTERS REVIEW COMMITTEE
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10:54 AM -- Prescribed Burning
Ms. Paige Lewis, Director of Forest Restoration and Fire Programs for the Nature Conservancy, and Mr. Jason Lawhon, Colorado Fire Manager at The Nature Conservancy, spoke about the work of The Nature Conservancy. Ms. Lewis discussed the current state of prescribed fire in Colorado, including the benefits of prescribed burning when used in combination with other mitigation efforts, and the importance of addressing all levels of the forest in fuel treatments. Ms. Lewis spoke about the importance of finding ways to increase the safe and effective use of prescribed fire across the state.
Ms. Lewis provided the committee with several recommendations, including:
- fostering a supportive, safe, and effective operating environment for the use of prescribed pile and broadcast burns, including through the Wildfire Risk Reduction and Watershed Restoration Grant Programs;
- supporting the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) in continuing to expand the more flexible use of smoke management permits;
- continuing to support DFPC's certified burner program;
- encouraging the use of pile and broadcast burning on state lands;
- monitoring the question of liability for state employees engaged in prescribed burning;
- fostering close coordination between DFPC and the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) to take full advantage of state expertise;
- supporting critical prescribed fire training for state employees;
- encouraging a Fire Adapted Communities approach in the WUI; and
- creating a voluntary statewide standard for wildfire mitigation and tying this to an incentive for counties and communities that adopt the standard.
A copy of Ms. Lewis' written testimony is provided in Attachment L. Ms. Lewis also provided the committee with a handout from The Nature Conservancy (Attachment M).
150904 AttachL.pdf
150904 AttachM.pdf
Ms. Lewis responded to questions from the committee regarding the use of prescribed fire on state land and the various entities involved.
11:08 AM
The committee discussed dates for the final committee meeting and set the date for the final committee meeting for Friday, October 30, 2015, at 9:00 AM.
11:14 AM
The committee continued with a discussion of the importance of prescribed burning. Ms. Lewis and Mr. Lawhon responded to questions from the committee regarding the use of state grant money for prescribed burns, information on CDPHE's permits for prescribed burns, how the state can support prescribed burning, the suggestion to create a voluntary statewide standard, The Nature Conservancy's fire mitigation efforts on land it owns, the reasons for the decrease in the use of CDPHE's prescribed burning permits, and efforts to determine where prescribed burning would be most effective