Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

WILDFIRE MATTERS REVIEW COMMITTEE

Date:09/04/2015
ATTENDANCE
Time:09:01 AM to 03:15 PM
Becker K.
E
Buck
*
Place:SCR 356
Cooke
X
Hamner
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Jones
*
Senator Baumgardner
Merrifield
*
Roberts
X
This Report was prepared by
Thurlow
X
Luisa Altmann
Baumgardner
X
Singer
*
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
Radio Technology and Operation Plans
Advisory Committee on Wildfire and Prescribed Fire Matters
Local Government Response
Prescribed Burning
Forest Health and Water Issues
Emergency Management
Biomass and Forest Health
Colorado Forest Restoration Studies
Sheriff's Wildfire Command School
Forest Utilization
Public Comment
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only
Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only

09:02 AM -- Radio Technology and Operation Plans

Kevin Klein, Director of the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM), introduced Russell Gibson, Public Safety Communications Analyst at DHSEM, and Jack Cobb, Statewide Interoperability Coordinator at DHSEM.

Director Klein spoke briefly about the history of the Statewide Needs Assessment and Business Plan report analyzing the public safety communication needs in Colorado. Mr. Gibson continued with a presentation of a summary of findings from the report. The findings from the report fell into four main areas: coverage, sustainable funding, consolidated governance, and interoperability concerns. A copy of DHSEM's presentation is provided in Attachment A. Committee members were also provided with a copy of the executive summary of the Digital Trunked Radio System (DTRS) Statewide Needs Assessment and Business Plan (Attachment B).

150904 AttachA.pdf150904 AttachA.pdf

150904 AttachB.pdf150904 AttachB.pdf



Throughout and following the presentation, Mr. Gibson responded to questions from the committee regarding how many towers the state currently has and how many more are needed to reach the recommended 90 percent coverage level. The committee also requested that Director Klein highlight the importance of radio communication systems for the committee, especially during wildfires. Director Klein responded to committee questions related to problems that have arisen in past wildfires due to inadequate communication systems or inadequate training. Director Klein also responded to questions regarding the prioritization of project funding, including how DHSEM collaborates with the Office of Information Technology (OIT). Director Klein also responded to committee questions regarding the use of satellite phone technology, how local jurisdictions have reacted to the recommendations from the report, the report's recommendation for consolidated governance, funding issues, and the use of VHF radio systems in the state.

09:40 AM

Ken Watkins, President of the Colorado State Fire Chiefs (CSFC) and Fire Chief for the city of Grand Junction, showed the committee an example of a speaking trumpet, which were used for public safety communications in colonial times, and a DTRS radio, which are used today. Chief Watkins spoke about the role of CSFC and the importance of ensuring the stability and reliability of the current statewide emergency radio system, especially during emergency situations. Chief Watkins also spoke about the DTRS Statewide Needs Assessment and Business Plan report, funding issues, and the work done to address past issues. Chief Watkins spoke specifically about the Grand Junction Regional Communications System and the challenges of coordinating between the various radio systems.

Chief Watkins and Director Klein responded to questions from the committee regarding the amateur radio efforts discussed during the committee's previous meeting.

09:54 AM -- Advisory Committee on Wildfire and Prescribed Fire Matters

Dan Gibbs, Summit County Commissioner and representing the Division of Fire Prevention and Control's (DFPC) Advisory Committee on Wildfire and Prescribed Fire Matters (advisory committee), discussed the history and work of the advisory committee, along with a description of who serves on the advisory committee. Commissioner Gibbs spoke about the recommendations from the advisory committee, including:

A summary of the advisory committee's recommendations is provided in Attachment C.

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Following his presentation, Commissioner Gibbs responded to questions from the committee regarding the advisory committee's recommendations for specific legislation, how funding for firefighting works in years when there are low firefighting costs, prioritization of radio system funding, and the use of UAVs.

10:15 AM -- Local Government Response

Commissioner Gibbs, representing Colorado Counties, Inc. (CCI), remained at the table to discuss what local communities are doing regarding wildfire preparedness and other proactive measures being taken. Commissioner Gibbs discussed the results of a recent survey done by CCI of Colorado counties asking about their county's building codes and zoning in WUI areas, and any tools/resources in place to help protect homes. A summary of the survey results is provided in Attachment D.

150904 AttachD.pdf150904 AttachD.pdf

Commissioner Gibbs also highlighted the actions being taken within Summit County, including the Summit County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), the county's chipping program (Attachment E), and related direct mailing sent by county realtors (Attachment F). Commissioner Gibbs discussed the county's work with Headwaters Economics, Wildfire Planning International, and The Clarion Group to look at the county's CWPP and how it interacts with the county's land use development and building codes in regards to wildfire preparedness. Commissioner Gibbs also provided two additional handouts to the committee from Summit County (Attachments G and H).

150904 AttachE.pdf150904 AttachE.pdf150904 AttachF.pdf150904 AttachF.pdf150904 AttachG.pdf150904 AttachG.pdf150904 AttachH.pdf150904 AttachH.pdf

10:23 AM

Meghan Dollar, Colorado Municipal League (CML), discussed CML's efforts to understand which communities are involved in various wildfire mitigation activities, including CWPPs, Firewise Communities, Fire Adapted Communities, and other programs. Ms. Dollar indicated that there are approximately 100 communities in Colorado that are engaged in some form of wildfire mitigation activity. Ms. Dollar also spoke about communities engaging in mitigation days, as is done in Nederland, the importance of partnerships in community wildfire mitigation efforts, and she highlighted several other efforts within various other Colorado cities. A summary of these community efforts is provided in Attachment I.

150904 AttachI.pdf150904 AttachI.pdf

Ms. Dollar responded to questions from the committee regarding mitigation efforts in Estes Park, including the city's public education outreach efforts, the city's chipping program, and the city's CWPP.

10:29 AM

Jim Webster, Wildfire Partners Program Coordinator in Boulder County, spoke about Boulder County's wildfire mitigation efforts and the county's experiences with past WUI wildfires. Mr. Webster discussed lessons learned from a report done following the Fourmile Canyon Fire, including:





Mr. Webster discussed issues related to existing homes that are not subject to newer building codes, the difficulty homeowners face in obtaining insurance and the difficulty insurance companies face in assessing the risk, and how to ensure that mitigation efforts are effective. Mr. Webster also spoke about the importance of partnerships and collaboration.

Mr. Webster continued with a discussion of Wildfire Partners, including its history and funding sources. Mr. Webster spoke about how Wildfire Partners includes representatives from the insurance industry, realtors, and other private sector entities. Mr. Webster described the work Wildfire Partners does to help educate homeowners regarding proper mitigation and mitigation certification efforts.

Mr. Webster provided the committee with several legislative recommendations, including:

Mr. Webster provided the committee with a handout outlining how a homeowner can apply to become part of Wildfire Partners (Attachment J) and an example of a resource Wildfire Partners provides to homeowners in the program concerning defensible space (Attachment K).

150904 AttachJ.pdf150904 AttachJ.pdf150904 AttachK.pdf150904 AttachK.pdf

10:37 AM

The panel responded to questions regarding the impact that gaining certification through the Wildfire Partners mitigation program has on the homeowner's ability to obtain homeowners insurance and how often mitigation must be done by homeowners that are involved in Wildfire Partners. The panel also responded to questions regarding the Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant Program, including how successful the program has been, how the grants work, how the grants are used, and how the grant program compares to a tax credit. The panel also responded to questions from the committee about what percentage of houses in Boulder County are properly mitigated and details related to the Fourmile Canyon Fire.

Ms. Dollar also commented on the importance of the DTRS.

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:

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.pdf150904 AttachL.pdf150904 AttachM.pdf150904 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

11:39 AM -- Forest Health and Water Issues

Travis Smith, Manager of the San Luis Valley Irrigation District and Rio Grande Basin Representative on the Colorado Water Conservation Board, spoke to the committee about watershed health issues. Mr. Smith spoke about the culture change experienced in the San Luis Valley following the West Fork Complex Fire. Mr. Smith also spoke about the role of the Rio Grande Watershed Emergency Action Coordination Team (RWEACT). Mr. Smith also spoke about the importance of watershed health within the Colorado Water Plan. Mr. Smith spoke about the work that goes into developing a plan for watershed health. Mr. Smith also spoke about the impact that fire borrowing by the U.S. Forest Service has on the local community. Mr. Smith also spoke about the impact of a changing landscape, a decline in industry, and permitting issues with various federal agencies. Mr. Smith continued to speak about RWEACT, the Rio Grande National Forest's forest plan revision efforts under the 2012 planning rule, and the role of the state in supporting regional watershed groups.



Mr. Smith responded to questions from the committee regarding legislative recommendations.

Mr. Smith provided the committee with a handout providing an overview of RWEACT (Attachment N).

150904 AttachN.pdf150904 AttachN.pdf

11:55 AM

The committee recessed for lunch.

01:01 PM -- Emergency Management

Mike Chard, President of the Colorado Emergency Management Association (CEMA), spoke about the history of emergency management in the U.S. and in Colorado, and the various emergency management structures in place. Mr. Chard spoke about the main missions of emergency management in mitigation, preparedness, protection, response, and recovery. Mr. Chard discussed the four critical missions of emergency management during wildfires: crisis management, consequence management, disaster declaration process management, and provision of an emergency operations center (EOC). Mr. Chard asked that the committee view CEMA as a valuable advisor for emergency management related issues. Mr. Chard also asked the committee to consider the long-lasting impacts of wildfires in its work.

01:10 PM

Lori Hodges, Legislative Committee Chairperson at CEMA, spoke about the history of CEMA's legislative committee and the goals of the legislative committee. Ms. Hodges spoke about the long-term impacts wildfires have on the environment and watersheds. Ms. Hodges indicated CEMA's desire to be more involved in the legislative process.

A copy of Mr. Chard and Ms. Hodges' written testimony is provided in Attachment O.

150904 AttachO.pdf150904 AttachO.pdf

01:13 PM

Mr. Chard and Ms. Hodges responded to questions from the committee regarding the importance of radio communications and radio communications issues on the Western Slope.

01:24 PM -- Biomass and Forest Health

J.R. Ford, representing Renewable Forest Energy, LLC., spoke about the company's business model, work the company has done, and the benefits provided to the community. Mr. Ford also discussed the work with a biomass power plant and current issues the company is encountering with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. Mr. Ford encouraged the committee to look into ways that the state can promote the use of biomass power.


A copy of Mr. Ford's presentation is provided in Attachment P.

150904 AttachP.pdf150904 AttachP.pdf

Mr. Ford responded to questions from the committee regarding the types of trees the company removes, tonnes per acre of wood products removed, what actions the legislature should take, how the rate varies for different power sources, and other issues related to electric utility policy.

01:51 PM -- Colorado Forest Restoration Studies

Dr. Tania Schoennagel, forest ecologist at the University of Colorado at Boulder, spoke about the need for forest restoration in low elevation ponderosa pine forests following fire suppression and ground fuel buildup. Dr. Schoennagel contrasted low elevation ponderosa pine forests with high elevation subalpine forests and discussed how forest restoration works differently in these forest types. Dr. Schoennagel also spoke about the impact of bark beetles in subalpine forests across the west, including the impact on wildfire risk, and the wildfire risk in the WUI.

Dr. Schoennagel responded to questions from the committee regarding the reason for the decline in the mountain pine beetle, the impact of bark beetles on forest health, the impact of mitigation, and the life cycles of bark beetles.

Dr. Schoennagel's presentation and written testimony are provided in Attachments Q and R.

150904 AttachQ.pdf150904 AttachQ.pdf150904 AttachR.pdf150904 AttachR.pdf

02:23 PM

Dr. Tony Cheng, professor in the Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship at Colorado State University, spoke about the work he does with the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute (CFRI), the Southern Rockies Fire Science Network, and the Center for Managing Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Risk (WUI Center). Dr. Cheng spoke specifically about his work as Director of CFRI, including detailing the two Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR) Projects ongoing in the state and CFRI's work to monitor the effectiveness of projects funded by the Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant program. Dr. Cheng also detailed mapping efforts being undertaken by the WUI Center.

In response to a question from the committee, Dr. Cheng indicated that reports from the CFRI and other information about CFRI can be found at coloradoforestrestoration.org.

A copy of Dr. Cheng's written testimony is provided in Attachment S.

150904 AttachS.pdf150904 AttachS.pdf

02:45 PM

Dr. Schoennagel and Dr. Cheng responded to questions from the committee regarding the overall health of Colorado forests and current forest management, and details regarding the high resolution mapping.



02:51 PM -- Sheriff's Wildfire Command School

Chris Johnson, Executive Director of the County Sheriffs of Colorado (CSOC), spoke about the role of county sheriffs during wildfire response and the Sheriff's Wildfire Command School's three-day workshop that occurred in May 2015. Mr. Johnson spoke about the experience county sheriffs gained from participating in the workshop related to wildfire response.

Mr. Johnson provided a handout with an overview of the Sheriff's Wildfire Command Workshop to the committee (Attachment T).

150904 AttachT.pdf150904 AttachT.pdf

02:56 PM

Justin Whitesell, Emergency Operations Manager for Larimer County and representing CSOC, spoke about his history related to wildfires. Mr. Whitesell spoke about the responsibilities of county sheriffs during wildland fires. Mr. Whitesell provided the committee with three legislative recommendations from CSOC to help wildland firefighting efforts across Colorado:

03:00 PM

Mr. Johnson and Mr. Whitesell responded to questions from the committee regarding the legislature's role in expanding hand crews, including last year's legislation to support veteran's hand crews.

03:02 PM -- Forest Utilization

Mike Lester, Director of the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), and Dr. Mike Eckhoff, Special Projects Coordinator for the Colorado Wood Utilization and Marketing Program at CSFS, spoke about Colorado's forest products industry. Specifically, Director Lester spoke about lessons learned from the study done as required by Senate Bill 11-267, including several barriers and opportunities that exist for Colorado's forest industry, including woody biomass energy.

A copy of Director Lester's presentation is provided in Attachment U. The committee was provided with several handouts, including a copy of the Report on the Implementation of Senate Bill 11-267 (Attachment V), a handout on woody biomass (Attachment W), and an overview of CSFS (Attachment X).

150904 AttachU.pdf150904 AttachU.pdf

150904 AttachV.pdf150904 AttachV.pdf150904 AttachW.pdf150904 AttachW.pdf150904 AttachX.pdf150904 AttachX.pdf






03:13 PM -- Public Comment

No one from the public testified.

03:15 PM

The committee adjourned.