Envision Chaffee County

A future built on Common Ground

Ensuring Healthy Landscapes

Leading our wildfire preparedness effort

Heavy fuel loads in our forests combine with recent warmer, drier temperatures and bigger wind events to create high wildfire risk in Chaffee County. We know this because fires are more frequent and intense.

The Envision Forest Health Council developed a long-range plan to address the risk with up to 30,000 acres of forest treatments by 2030 — an objective that would halve the risk severe wildfire poses to people, structures and natural resources. Implementation spans priority areas on 70% public and 30% private lands.

The plan uses computer modeling to map the level of risk and identify the right areas to treat for the highest cost efficiency and community benefit. In three years, more than 5,000 acres of treatments took place while 16,500 acres of projects are in the planning pipeline. $23 million has been raised to support plan implementation by leveraging tax revenues from the Chaffee Common Ground Fund. Read more about accomplishments or view the plan and maps:

View the Fuel Treatment Priority map that shows where to treat for the highest cost efficiency.

Use Google Earth by downloading a link here.

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Read the Community Summary Booklet

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Read the Chaffee County 2020 Community Wildfire Protection Plan

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Upper Ark Forest Fund awarded $5.7M to reduce community risk

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service recognizes community wildfire plan and implementation under Forest Health Council as innovative.

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Community is on-track to accomplish wildfire protection goals

Envision Forest Health Council outlines progress in third annual report.

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Council wins funding for treatments north of BV

Railroad Bridge project improves wildlife habitat and help protect residents, river from a potential wildfire.

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Envision Forest Health Council

Wildfire Plan
  • Arkansas River Watershed Collaborative
  • Atmos Energy
  • Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
  • Bureau of Land Management Rocky Mountain District
  • Chaffee Board of County Commissioners
  • Chaffee County Office of Emergency Management
  • Chaffee County Fire Protection District
  • Colorado Division of Fire Protection & Control
  • Colorado Firecamp
  • Colorado Forest Restoration Institute at Colorado State University
  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife
  • Colorado Springs Utilities
  • Colorado State Forest Service
  • Envision Chaffee County
  • Lake Board of County Commissioners
  • Lake County Conservation District/Central Colorado Conservancy
  • Leadville Fire Protection District
  • National Forest Foundation
  • Salida Fire Department
  • Sangre de Cristo Electric Association
  • Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association
  • USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
  • US Forest Service Salida & Leadville Ranger Districts
  • US Forest Service Mountain Zone Fire
  • US Sen. Michael Bennet’s Office
  • Xcel Energy

“Catastrophic wildfire — Not In My Back Yard!”
– Chaffee Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Kent Maxwell

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