Autumn in Colorado: How We’re “FACOing” Into Fall
As the air cools and the leaves start turning gold, it’s clear that fall is upon us in Colorado. For participants of the Fire Adapted Colorado (FACO) Network, this is a busy and exciting time of year. Many field projects are coming together, and a host of conferences, trainings, and planning initiatives are kicking off.
Conferences & Training in Full Swing
Last week, our very own, Executive Director, Rebecca Samulski supported the Colorado Wildfire Mitigation Best Practices (CWMBP) at the National Cohesive Strategy Workshop in Atlantic City, NJ. This week, Training and Network Specialist, Lara Thomas is leading a new 3-day short course on CWMBP with support from the Bureau of Land Management Colorado, held in Grand Junction. CWMBP courses are provided through a COCO/USFS partnership.
Meanwhile, we’re counting down the days until the Colorado Wildland Fire Conference in Snowmass Village next week. FACO staff and partners are all hands-on deck preparing for this critical gathering. One highlight to look forward to is the Wednesday night FACO social, where we hope to see many of you bring your musical instruments! Eric Lovgren is always ready to strum his banjo and, with a few fellow enthusiasts, we’re bound to have a memorable jam session.
In addition to the social, we’re excited for the pre-conference workshop led by Ashley Downing, who will be guiding participants through the Building Your FAC Neighborhood Ambassador Approach workshop, helping community members to engage more deeply in fire-adaptive practices. The FAC NAA course is made possible through COSWAP grant funding, with Wildfire Adapted Partnership presenting the course.
Navigating Grants & Supporting Proposals
Autumn is also prime time for grant applications. FACO is stepping up to serve as a resource for participants who are exploring state and federal support for the first time or who have faced challenges with previous applications. Our goal is to guide Network participants through the process of crafting competitive proposals, ensuring they have the tools they need to succeed. Request a community navigator, or contact development@fireadaptedco.org directly.
Legislative Tracking & Prescribed Fire Strategy
While our partners across the state take advantage of ideal fall conditions for prescribed burns, FACO is diligently tracking potential legislative solutions to ease prescribed burning hurdles. As we approach the 2025 legislative session, there’s promising movement in Colorado and beyond.
The Wildfire Matters Review Committee is expected to advance up to five bills, with two key items for prescribed burning on the docket:
- A Prescribed Fire Claims Cash Fund to alleviate liability concerns for burners.
- Certified Burner Reciprocity, which would recognize qualifications from other programs to help bolster Colorado’s prescribed fire workforce.
These recommendations have emerged from past conversations within our Network, and we’re hopeful they will help overcome some of the current obstacles to prescribed burning.
At the same time, FACO is actively involved in supporting the development of Colorado’s Prescribed Fire Strategy. We encourage everyone to participate in the final virtual input session on Monday, September 30th, from 6-8 PM (register here). Nationally, we’re also following the progress of the National Prescribed Fire Act, currently before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining, and our friends at the Alliance for Wildfire Resilience and the Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition are tracking its progress.
Looking Ahead
As the days get shorter and the cool nights set in, FACO is energized by the work ahead this fall. Whether it’s training, community building, legislative advocacy, or supporting our partners with grant applications and field projects, we’re tackling it all with the collaborative spirit that defines our Network.
