TELLER COUNTY, CO. (KRDO) – Police said Monday that $ 1 million will be used for a wildfire prevention project in Taylor County.
In May, the High Park fire burned more than 1,500 acres[1,500 ha]near Creep Creek, so the gift could not come at a more stressful time.
In a press statement on Monday morning, Governor Jared spoke with government officials, lawmakers, first responders and local deforestation groups about improvements in forest health and wildlife conservation.
“Colorado will avoid one lightning strike, one uncontrolled fire and one drought season,” said Dan Gibbs, director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.
At the meeting, the strategic focus of the Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Plan (COSWAP) announced that eight projects have been selected for financial support in “Landscaping Investment”.
“We want to prevent small fires from becoming major fires, and mitigation is key,” said Governor Jared Police.
Projects range from $ 500,000 to $ 1,000,000, with $ 4 million in local, federal, or other state funding.
The Taylor County Forest Health and Resilience Project (TCFHR) received $ 1,000,000 and is being used by the Colorado State Forest Service.
COSWAP is a program in the Department of Natural Resources and was recently launched by Police Administration SB21-258.
The bill was signed in June 2021 and is spent on $ 25 million in wildfire risk reduction and funding-reduction projects.
“COSWAP will provide more than $ 17 million to mobilize state stimulus funds to the ground, and will work on wildfires to protect lives, property and vital infrastructure,” Gibbs said.
