wildfires
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A perfect storm: Pine beetles thriving following warm, dry winter in Colorado
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The warmest winter in Colorado history could lead to record-breaking proliferation of a tiny insect, about the size of a grain of rice, that has killed millions of acres of trees across the Centennial State and contributed to the rapid spread of some of its largest wildfires, according to state officials. Mountain pine and spruce…
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Jeffco adopts updates to wildfire resiliency code
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Jefferson County is one of the most at-risk counties for wildfires in the country, and the board of commissioners is attempting to lessen the danger. The Jefferson County commissioners approved updates to the Wildfire Resiliency Code on March 10, including creating buffering areas around structures and tougher building requirements. The changes will go into effect…
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Crews swiftly contain 600-acre wildfire in Huerfano County
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Crews quickly dealt with a 600-acre wildfire that broke out near Turkey Ridge Ranch in Huerfano County on Wednesday. Dubbed by officials as the “Turkey fire,” the Huerfano County Sheriff’s Office was alerted about the blaze at 2:22 p.m., according to a statement from the office. Crews were deployed to the area of Country Road…
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Penrose residents criticize communication on 24 fire as crews reach some containment
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PENROSE — Macy May has anxiously slept half awake at night in her rural Penrose home as she awaited a pre-evacuation warning to possibly be upgraded to an evacuation order for the 24 fire that began on Wednesday. She and her four children, ages 7 to 15, live with their three dogs and 40 birds,…
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Highway 115 fire blows up, road closed south of Colorado Springs
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A fast-moving fire burning along Colorado 115 south of Colorado Springs blew the containment line Thursday, spreading farther east onto Fort Carson and scorching nearly 700 acres, officials said. The blaze, known as the 24 fire, was fully uncontained as of late Thursday afternoon, officials said, despite having been 50% contained earlier in the day. Smoke…
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Colorado lawmakers roll out bipartisan plan aimed at lowering home insurance risk
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Rising homeowners’ insurance rates prompted a group of lawmakers to introduce a bill Wednesday aimed at reducing damage from hail and wildfire. The measure would encourage homeowners and homeowner associations to take additional mitigation steps and, in turn, could allow insurers to offer lower insurance rates once those steps are completed. Senate Bill 49 is…
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Colorado academy trains next generation of wildland firefighters
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Wildfire activity is on the upswing in Colorado and across the U.S., and state firefighting and incident management agencies are stepping up their efforts to keep up with the changes. “In the past, firefighters gained skills gradually over many seasons,” said Schelly Olson, spokeswoman for the Colorado Wildland Fire and Incident Management Academy. “They no…
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Businesses face losses after Xcel power shutoffs
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Restaurants west of Denver are still coming to grips with product losses and future revenue concerns after power shutoffs last week by Xcel Energy, which cited high winds as the rationale for the decision. “It’s like living in a third-world country,” Brandon Bortles, owner of Nosu Ramen and Abejas Bistro in Golden, said Tuesday. “We’re…
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Pine beetle infestation in Colorado’s Front Range forests prompts action from Gov. Polis
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Pine beetle infestations are quickly spreading across large areas of Colorado’s ponderosa pine forests, evident from aerial surveys conducted by the U.S. Forest Service over the last year. The USFS surveys found beetle infestations in mountainous and foothill regions from Larimer County to El Paso County have been on the rise over the last year,…
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Gov. Jared Polis forms task force to combat pine beetle outbreak threatening Colorado forests
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Gov. Jared Polis has issued an executive order establishing a task force to help protect Colorado forests and communities from the impact of pine beetle outbreaks, he announced on Monday. According to the governor’s office, the task force will also develop strategies to protect the state’s water resources, support the outdoor recreation industry, and enhance…
