Present: Nicole Smith, Marsha Porter-Norton, Joy Mathis, Laurie Robison, Jim McCarthy, Ken Marshall, Pam Wilson, Dave Cluff, Dan Ochocki, Bill Ball, Bob Koernig, Harry Bruell, Ron Klatt, Ben Cordova, Mike Kane Jr.

1) Update of County Fire Plans:
Marsha Porter Norton: Through the national fire plan, communities were asked to do community fire plans. SW Colorado in collaboration with SJPLC, OCS, CSFS collected input from stakeholders including fire departments (5 counties) and began the process of developing ‘home grown” community fire plans for the different communities to identify how the communities are handling mitigation, education and fire planning goals (May 2001). There are available online. The plans got a broad base of support. Since then, the Healthy Forest Initiative was passed to provide more funding and infrastructure to update the now termed, “Community Wildfire Protection Plan”. Many elements to the plan

1) Grassroots—start Firewise Council (done)
2) Develop wildfire assessment and hazard map—replaced with Bill’s mapping program
3) Grassroots education strategies (Ambassador program)
4) Initiate fire mititgation projects on federal lands
5) Continue working collaboratively to implement county policies that would lessen impacts of fire on WUI.
6) Demonstration sites
7) Advertising private contractors
8) General collaboration
9) Encourage development of small diameter wood products.

Marsha handed out these goals. Firewise council members were asked for their input as to what they think the new goals should be for the plan. Council will be shown a draft plan in April. Redoing this will help with further federal funding possibilities.

Bill Ball: Map pioneered in Montezuma County. Idea behind the map is to identify areas at risk given the right conditions for fire (private lands).

A) To be used by the county to determine risk areas when developments are proposed
B) To be used for developing a plan for a subdivision or group of subdivisions in conjunction with public land mitigation
C) To be used for interfacing with the Red Zone Software in the instance of a fire.

Conditions for risk areas are determined by the following categories: 1) vegetation types, 2) topography, and 3) population densities. When the map is released there will be a page that explains how it was created. The map is to be used as a guideline. In the future, may be used for individual subdivisions. It was brought up that this may be used by insurance companies to deny insurance . . .there are other maps out there that are being used. . .this is one of the natural disasters that we can actually mitigate. In the plan the ways the map can be used will be listed.

Ron Klatt (Ron Klatt is Fire Management Officer for the Columbine Ranger District, Forest Service): FS/BLM Project of the Community Action Plan—involve community and other agencies as much as possible to develop federal priorities for their mitigation projects. Color-coded maps by the year they are supposed to be implemented. They are pretty much on schedule. Asking landowners for access to the forest through private property—most community members are supportive. Fourteen mechanical fuels projects going right now on this district (Columbine). Priority zones were established within a half-mile of private lands (those in red on the maps)—those have flammable fuels. Most of the land on the forest is higher elevation land away from private lands. The next revision of the plan will reveal more areas that may be priority. Ambassadors can help spread the word in their subdivisions about these projects. Council will give Ron the list of ambassadors so they may contact them. These maps will be included with the new plan.

2) Ambassador Update—Marsha: Training in December—21 ambassadors. There was to be a training on January 11—cancelled due to weather. Nicole is training 3 this week and Laurie is training 3 in Pagosa. (WAY TO GO, COUNCIL!)

3) April is Fire Month—Nicole Smith is the coordinator for these activities. Fire Chief from Prescott, Jolene Ackerman from WI—may be possibilities to visit Durango as guest speakers during fire month. Possible grant from the round-up foundation to fund this, possible fire council money from state. If we have a speaker come, we’d like to make sure people attend. It could be a “firewise” forum with multiple agencies involved. Get it on DCAT. It will be advertised in the fire month insert. Goals: The goal would be to get community input on the fire plan to mobilize the decision makers—commissioners etc. Use it as a forum in LaPlata county for getting input on the fire plan. The council thought this would be a good kickoff for April. Joy will find out when they may be able to come, and what their costs are. The council wants to make sure it doesn’t interfere with the ambassadors programs in their subdivisions. Maybe invite McGinnis to address the Healthy Forest Act—Dave Cluff will contact him. Maybe use the CSWS Lyceum during a thursday 5:30pm to 9pm. Door prizes! Food! We will have a subcommittee meeting before the next firewise meeting to plan this.

Note from Kristie - - It might be possible to use a portion of the $4,000 Dan Ochocki referred to - - Council previously decided to use this funding for the professional presentation series. We need to look at costs, and benefit to the community as I think that there are definitely benefits to bringing someone in - - but it is often “preaching to the choir” – if our real intention is further spreading the idea of FireWise – we need to really support the Ambassadors in their local activities, and reach the segments of our local communities not yet engaged. I also have some concerns inviting folks – especially from a long-distance, with the turnouts of recent Fire Months and planned Council activities. If we could do this in conjunction with professional development opportunities for agencies, and not be solely dependent on community response – I would feel more comfortable. In my notes from previous meetings, many potential speakers would be able to finance their own way (part of their existing programs).

4) Logo for Mobile Command Center: Firewise council logo will be on it. We will ask them to bring the command center to one of our meetings.

5) Proposed Fire Standards: Emergency accessibility and fuels treatment – table this with invite to Nancy Lauro and Dan Noonan to come to next meeting to update the council on where this is at.

Note from Kristie - -Mike Dunaway presented the latest news on where this process is at during the December meeting. I would imagine that not a lot of progress has been made over the holidays. The take-home message I got from Mike Dunaway – and from conversations with Dan Noonan – is that County Staff and Fire Departments are agreeing on the current drafts. They are looking for community support, for a public swelling that says “we need code.” So, while I think we should get informal updates every month (like from Dan Noonan or Nancy if she’s able to attend) – we also need to be active – not just sit back, wait another month for another update. I think that the Fire Council’s position should be “we support passing of such a code.” We then have the opportunity to qualify that support, to provide examples of what has worked in other communities – to spread the word to our neighbors, colleagues, and friends that wildland urban interface code is alive and well in other western towns. The whole idea of a grassroots Fire Council is that it is not another layer of bureaucracy. So – let’s get motivated and active around the idea that ANY FORWARD PROGRESS TOWARDS CODE IS GOOD.

Next Meeting: February 15, 2005
5:30pm to 7pm
LPEA Board Room

Items for next meeting:
- Joy Mathis to show FireWise calendar, artwork
- Firewise designation
- Grant update