For the last 25 years, our society in people the West has undergone a cultural transformation around wildfire. We shifted from a “suppression at all costs” mindset to a view that recognizes fire's value to our ecosystem.
There's just one catch: For the past 150 years in the West, we’ve built our society within these fire-adapted ecosystems. Now, we're learning to live with fire.
Societal and cultural shifts take time, however, and in the case of fire management and mitigation, so does collaboration.
That's starting to change.
The Colorado State Forest Service and stakeholders from the counties of Delta, Montrose, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Ouray, and San Miguel are collaborating to a degree never before seen in the West.
Thanks to organizations like the West Region Wildfire Council and the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, counties are working on a new concept called Potential Operational Delineations, or PODs.
It’s a method of “pre-planning” for wildfire and lets officials develop responses to fires before they start.
Is it enough? Are we just scratching the surface of what’s needed?
On this week's Local Motion, we explore the latest in wildfire preparedness and policy. We also review what you can do to be prepared for wildfire and how to learn to live with it.
We talk with Brett Wolk of the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute and Jamie Gomez with the West Region Wildfire Council.
Additional Resources
- Community Wildfire Protection Plans
- Predictive Services Outlooks (Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center)
- What you can do to mitigate wildfire risk at home (West Regional Wildfire Council)
