Committee says Wildfire Matters Review Committee took up four recommendations, extends review committee

Members of the Colorado Forest Health Council legislative committee reported on July 25 that a recent presentation to the Wildfire Matters Review Committee resulted in four recommendations being taken up, and that the review committee voted to extend itself for five years.

Chair Jody Shadd McNally summarized the feedback: "They extended their wildfire matters committee for another 5 years." Staff and committee members said other recommendations advanced included measures related to mobile-home-park evacuation/mitigation and proposals to expand Good Neighbor Authority partners; however, members said there were questions from legislators about statutory language and funding for some recommendations.

Committee staff noted that the department-level positions were limited: the Department of Natural Resources and the Colorado State Forest Service did not take a position on the defensible-space enforcement bill discussed in that session, and the Division of Fire Prevention and Control also declined to take a formal position. Members said some recommendations may need further drafting because of fiscal concerns and that the legislative committee could only move a smaller number of recommendations forward this year.

The committee asked staff to continue tracking the bills and to brief members as legislative action unfolds.