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One million Coloradans live at risk of fire

THEY INVADE NATURAL LAND WITH FLAMMABLE VEGETATION

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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More than one million Coloradans live in areas at risk for wildfire, new data from the Colorado Forest Service reveals. These risks are moderate to very high. This conclusion appears very critical as global warming and a decades-long drought increase the likelihood of more large and destructive storms in the western Colorado Mountains area.

Chad Julián, wildfire mitigation program specialist for the Colorado State Forest Service, said technology has allowed us to have more elements to determine wildfire risks. With the technology available, maps have been created that show where people build houses and other structures. These maps indicate a significant increase in the risks of forest fires, says Julián.

Growth in risk areas

“There are more homes at risk than in 2017. The risks extend to more rural areas, smaller communities, and subdivisions. There was much more housing growth in those areas in the urban-forest interface,” Julián highlighted. Colorado’s latest wildfire risk assessment offers maps showing wildfire risk by neighborhood.

That assessment also found that the size of the state’s wildland-urban interface, where human development encroaches on natural land with flammable vegetation, has expanded to 4.5 million acres. This figure is approximately 45 times the size of the city of Denver. Julián noted that new laser-based mapping tools provide a clearer picture of vegetation and other fuel sources.

Change the construction methods

This information helps land managers work to protect communities, water sources, and ecosystems. Recent megafires, including the $2 billion Marshall Fire of 2021, have shown scientists and land managers new priorities for adapting to the new climate reality.

“The only problem with forest fires is not only the loss of homes. That is one component of many negative aspects that come from these fires. But we do see a lot of degradation of ecosystems and problems with watersheds,” says Julián. This expert believes that it is possible to obtain better results in the future. “We can change the way we build,” Julián said.