STATUS 

• Eagle County has committed over $2.4 million in 2022-2023 toward the goal of reducing the impacts of wildfire and drought. Eagle County's Community Wildfire Protection Plan has been completed and will be invaluable in our 2024 efforts to identify areas of risk and opportunities for meaningful mitigation across jurisdiction lines.  Through the REALFire home assessment program, the mitigation team has made excellent progress working with homeowners, multi-family developments, and areas in the wildland urban interface that have been identified as critical to watersheds and infrastructure. The Eagle Valley and Roaring Fork Wildfire Collaboratives continue to pursue additional grant funding to expand on locally-driven wildfire mitigation successes. Learn how you can protect your home and property at ECEmergency.org - Wildfire Preparedness.

MEASURES
Number of homes/residences that participate in the REALFire® Program - Goal: 400 homes/residences by December 2023
Total residential acres treated for defensible space through the REALFire Program - Goal: 200 acres by December 2023.

• 2,534 homes, residences, and businesses have been served by the REALFire program since this goal was set in 2022 (updated Dec. 31, 2023)

• 124 residential acres have been treated for defensible space and wildfire fuel reduction since this goal was set in 2022 (updated Dec. 31, 2023)

• Property owners implementing mitigation actions associated with REALFire assessments have received more than $250,000 in cost-share assistance awards

• The Neighborhood Ambassador Program is building neighborhood-level participation in wildfire risk reduction efforts

• REALFire mapping is being used to identify areas of success, underserved populations, and gaps in program reach

MEASURES
Number of landscape-scale fuel reduction projects completed - Goal: 10 projects by December 2023
Total acres treated for fuel reduction - Goal 1,000 acres by December 2023.

• 21 landscape-scale fuel reduction projects have been implemented since this goal was set in 2022 (updated Dec. 31, 2023)

• 4,251 acres of landscape-scale fuel reduction has been completed since this goal was set in 2022 (updated Dec. 31, 2023)

• Project highlights include:

  • A Good Neighbor Authority partnership between Eagle County, the Bureau of Land Management, and Colorado State Forest Service has led to 22 acres of fuel reduction on Bellyache Ridge

  • A 20 acre fuel break project has been completed in the Peachblow subdivision (Frying Pan Valley)

  • A 4-acre fuel break project has been completed with the Eagle Valley Land Trust on Tennessee Pass

  • A 55 acre fuel reduction project has been completed at the Town of Gypsum's drinking water intake in Mosher Springs in accordance with the Gypsum Creek Source Water Protection Plan

  • 10 acres of fuel reduction has been completed in the Intermountain neighborhood in partnership with Vail Fire

  • Additional Fuel Breaks - Eagle Ranch 3.4 Miles, Bachelor Gulch 1.75 Miles, Beaver Creek 1.5 Miles, Wildridge 1.6 Miles, Singletree 1.25 Miles, Cordillera 1 Mile, Diamond Star Ranch 2.75 Miles, Eby Creek .75 Miles, Salt Creek 1.8 Miles, Colorow 1 Mile

  • Additional Thinning Projects (alteration/reduction of vegetation to reduce fire severity) - Frost Creek, Eby Creek, Minturn, Bachelor Gulch, Beaver Creek, Brush Creek 

• 2022 Eagle County Wildfire Collaborative Year-End Report and Annual Video Update to the Eagle County Commissioners

MEASURE
Number of neighborhoods implementing community chipping programs - Goal: 10 neighborhoods by December 2023

• 11 neighborhoods have implemented community chipping programs since this goal was set in 2022 (updated Dec. 31, 2023)

• Communities with chipping programs include: West Vail, Eby Creek, Bellyache Ridge, McCoy, EagleVail, Aspen Mesa Estates, Ruedi Shores, Singletree, Pilgrim Downs, Fulford, and Aspen Mesa Estates