Following a year that saw three of the largest wildfires in the state, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) on March 21 signed three bills designed to put the state on better footing for wildfire response and management.
“Last summer was the severest wildfire season we’ve ever had in the state,” said Sen. Chris Hansen (D-6-Denver) to the Denver 7 News. “This is a serious problem and it’s likely to get more serious because of the effects of climate change.”
Hansen, along with Sen. Rob Rankin (R-8-Carbondale) and Rep. Julie McCluskie (D-61-Dillon), sponsored SB21-054, which provides $6 million from the general fund to the forest restoration and wildfire risk mitigation grant program. Additionally, it transfers $3 million to the wildfire preparedness fund as a state match for federal hazard mitigation assistance grants to local governments. Lastly, it transfers $4 million from the general fund for watershed restoration following post-fire recovery and mitigation efforts.
In addition to mitigation measures, lawmakers also looked toward suppression efforts with SB21-113, which would provide $30.8 million for purchasing a Firehawk helicopter.
Speaking at the Centennial airport in front of a Firehawk helicopter, Polis stated at the signing ceremony, “This year as we welcome a new [fire] season, we are prepared to protect better the resources that are so very important to all of us in our great outdoors.”
The bill was sponsored by Sens. Bob Rankin (D-8-Garfield) and Stephen Fenberg (D-18-Boulder) and Reps. McCluskie (D-61-Delta) and Mike Lynch (R-49-Wellington). The bill would cover the $25 million purchase price of the helicopter and fund operating costs for the next few years. When the helicopter is not being used for firefighting, the Firehawk can be deployed on search and rescue missions. It can also be sent to other states, which in turn would pay Colorado for the aircraft’s services.
“It’s an extremely capable aircraft, multi-use, very well tested,” said Garry Briese, executive director of Colorado State Fire Chiefs, to Denver 7 News. “The fire capabilities and the emergency medical services capabilities of the aircraft is a significant enhancement for what we have in Colorado today.”
The purchase—which will take a year and a half before delivery—will add to the state’s existing two firefighting aircraft. Those two aircraft are single-engine aircraft designed to track fires, not fight them. That is why McCluskie and Sen. Dominick Moreno (D-21-Commerce City) introduced SB21-054 to extend the lease agreements on wildfire-fighting planes and helicopters. Signed by Polis at the ceremony, it would increase the state’s current contracts for two single-engine air tankers to 240 days, up from 150 for a cost of about $620,000. The two helicopters it has on contract for fire season would be available for 230 days, up from 120, for $1.36 million, and adds a 110-day contract, up from 75 days, for a large air tanker for $5.36 million.
Moreno stated this is the first time the state is making an effort to combat wildfires before the season starts. Compared to previous decades, the state’s wildfire season is longer and Rankin stated if the state leases the aircraft on a short-term basis, Colorado is competing with other states to use the aircraft. The state’s largest wildfires, the East Troublesome, Cameron Peak and Cal-Wood fires, were most active in October.
“Suppression and mitigation efforts have to go hand in hand and should never come at the cost of each other,” Stan Hilkey, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Safety, said at the signing ceremony. “We need to do both, and we’re excited about the opportunity for the money to go into the forest restoration program and also in hazard mitigation grants as matching grants for communities to do. We look forward to having the opportunity to have this tool and the other tools that these bills provide us to be able to have a fast and effective response to the wildfire problem in Colorado.” — Charles Wallace, WLJ editor
