Firefighters save firewood from Ferris Fire
Firefighters battling the Ferris Fire in the San Juan National Forest this summer weren’t just protecting more than homes– they were also trying to save firewood. The Wood for Life program saves unsellable timber from San Juan National Forest thinning projects for Native American tribes to heat their homes in winter
The Colorado Sun reports that firefighters used chainsaws, shovels and other tools to protect stacks of small-diameter logs near Narraguinnep Canyon, north of Dolores.
The wood came from forest thinning projects designed to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health. Normally, the logs have little or no commercial value. But through Wood for Life, the wood is collected and delivered to tribal communities across the Southwest and Four Corners region.
The Sun says that the need is significant. Thousands of people on some reservations lack electricity to heat their homes during the winter.
The closure of the Kayenta (kay-ehn-teh) Coal Mine in 2019 also left some Navajo and Hopi (hope-ee) communities without an inexpensive source of heating fuel.
Since 2020, Wood for Life has delivered more than 32-thousand cords of wood from 13 national forests, providing fuel for nearly 6,500 homes.
Last year, about 2,100 cords from the San Juan National Forest were delivered free of charge to tribal members in the Four Corners.
Some of the wood piles in the path of the Ferris Fire were lost. But many were saved.
Eventually, crews with the Southwest Conservation Corps are expected to collect the surviving logs and deliver them to reservations.
Paonia appoints new mayor, mayor pro-tem
And following a slate of resignations in Paonia over the past few months, Sheree Fischer was unanimously appointed as the town’s next mayor by the board of trustees. Fischer had been serving as mayor pro tem since being elected to a trustee seat in April. She was the only applicant for the position.The board also appointed Trustee Anne Lee Foster as the new mayor pro tem with a unanimous vote. There is now a vacant seat on the board.
Colorado gun advocacy group wants a federal court to block new state law restricting the purchase of semi-automatic weapons
For the Colorado Capitol News Alliance, Kyle McKinnon tells us that the law went into effect August 1st. It requires people to get a permit, take an in-person safety training course and pass a test before buying certain rifles, shotguns and pistols. The law only applies to purchases of these weapons moving forward. It also bans devices like bump stocks that increase a gun’s rate of fire. The Colorado State Shooting Association asked a federal court to pause enforcement this week due to a pending lawsuit the group filed last September. The group wants to overturn the law on Second Amendment grounds. Supporters of the new law say it will help limit the damage caused during mass shootings.
Western Colorado sees significant rise in bear activity
If you’ve noticed more bear sightings lately, you’re not imagining it. Colorado Parks & Wildlife is reporting a major spike in bear activity statewide. Several Western Slope communities are scrambling to reduce human caused attractants before the situation becomes even more intense.
For KVNF Lisa Young spoke with Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officer David Gurzick focusing on Paonia’s escalating bear problem — why it’s happening, what officials are doing, and how residents can stay safe.
