FACO Members earn 2023 IAFC Wildfire Mitigation Awards

Exemplary Commitment to Community Wildfire Risk Reduction 
Eagle County, Colorado

The IAFC Wildfire Mitigation Awards committee has named one individual and one organization to receive it’s 2023 Wildfire Mitigation Awards.

This year’s recipients happen to both be from Eagle County, Colorado, where their coordinated efforts have earned them “the highest commendation for innovation and leadership in wildfire mitigation.”

Eagle Valley Wildland (EVW) is an intergovernmental collaborative between Eagle County, Eagle River FPD, Greater Eagle FPD, and Gypsum FPD. It represents an ambitious partnership between the agencies to coordinate and collaborate on wildfire mitigation efforts.  As a result of this partnership, EVW tripled the number of acres of fuel reduction treatments in the county.

As a Fire Mitigation Specialist for Eagle County, Eric Lovgren has expanded enforcement role to an Emergency Management role. Lovgren helped design and launch REALFire, a voluntary home assessment program led by realtors and the Community Wildfire Planning Center. Eric, is also a FACO board member, and past chair.

The Wildfire Mitigation Awards program was established in 2014 by the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the USDA Forest Service to help demonstrate the tremendous societal value wildfire mitigation efforts provide.

Congratulations on receiving these prestigious national awards, and for being Wildfire Resilience Leaders in your communities!