14322CA44271F2F2872589F0006EA671 Hearing Summary CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf PUBLICBILL SUMMARY For COLORADO COUNTIESINTERIM COMMITTEE WILDFIRE MATTERS REVIEW COMMITTEEDate Jul 18, 2023 Location Old Supreme Court Colorado Counties - Committee Discussion Only Attachment Tag File Name Attachment http://www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2023A/commsumm.nsf/0/153CFCA219DB...$File/Attachment A - Jeffco Wildfire Safe Infographic.pdf?OpenElement Attachment A - Jeffco Wildfire Safe Infographic.pdf 02:08:47 PM Lesley Dahlkemper, Jefferson County Commissioner, introduced Colorado Counties, Inc. (CCI) and her fellow county commissioners. She gave an overview of the issues facing Jefferson County as a result of wildfires, the grants that have been provided to address wildfires and how they are being used, and the steps counties are taking to protect their communities from wildfires. Commissioner Dahlkemper distributed a handout (Attachment A). 02:17:02 PM Commissioner Dahlkemper responded to questions from the committee on the specific strategies Jefferson County utilizes to mitigate fires and the merits of prescribed burns. 02:28:33 PM Marsha Porter-Nelson, La Plata County Commissioner, discussed the increasing risk of wildfires due to climate change and rising temperatures. She explained how the amount of wildfires per year in La Plata has increased in recent years and how the grants provided by the state government have been helpful in combatting them. 02:38:22 PM Commissioner Porter-Nelson responded to questions from the committee on prescribed burns. 02:41:56 PM Greg Felt, Chaffee County Commissioner, discussed the unique issues wildfires cause for rural counties like his face and the benefits of using sales tax to fund wildfire mitigation efforts. 02:52:05 PM Commissioner Felt responded to questions from the committee on the revenue Chaffee County has received from their sales tax and what the state's priorities should be in assisting counties with their fire mitigation efforts. 02:55:24 PM Jake Niece, Ouray County Commissioner, discussed how important wildfire mitigation is to counties that are almost entirely wild land, like Ouray. He discussed the projects Ouray has undertaken to reduce the risks of wildfires. 03:03:25 PM Commissioner Niece responded to questions from the committee on how difficult it is to get home insurance in wildfire-prone areas. 03:04:44 PM Alexis Kimbrough, Director of Emergency Management, and Brad White, Fire Chief of Grand County Fire Protection, discussed the prevalence of wildfires in Grand County, the issues they have cause for their residents, and how helpful state grants are for developing fire mitigation strategies. 03:16:55 PM Dan Williams, Teller County Commissioner, discussed the issues with wildfires that his county has had as a result of the many tourists who camp and start fires there. 03:26:35 PM Commissioner Williams responded to questions from the committee on the merits of a formalized agreement with military bases that would entail them assisting local governments during wildfires. 03:28:56 PM Jody Shadduck-McNally, Larimer County Commissioner, discussed the wildfire protection plan that her county has been developing and the benefits of creating partnerships with other counties and organizations.