Our Wildfire Work
The Aspen Wildfire Foundation is the charitable arm that funds AFPD's Community Wildfire Resilience program. Your donations allow AFPD's wildfire team to facilitate, plan, and execute fuels reduction projects.
By working together, we can reduce wildfire risk AND improve local habitat for wildlife. You can get involved in two ways:
- You can work on your own wildfire mitigation and emergency preparedness. Not sure where to start? Schedule a Wildfire Risk Assessment and/ or email Ali.Hammond@aspenfire.com.
- You can contribute to the fund that makes this work possible. Donations are tax deductible and help us leverage federal grants by showing local support for this kind of work!
Wildfire is a dynamic threat. Adequate preparation addresses wildfire mitigation, emergency preparedness, evacuations, emergency notification systems, and educating many different community segments, including both residents and short term visitors to Aspen.
Here's (some of) what we've been up to since our launch in October 2021:
The WCAF has allowed AFPD to lead cross-boundary, landscape scale projects. We are working with local partners each year on planning and executing prescribed fires and bark beetle mitigation to improve the health and resilience of local ecosystems.
Landscape Spotlight: Cross-Boundary Fuel Break
Aspen Fire, the BLM, Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, and private partners are working together to demonstrate the wonderful possibilities that happen when we work together. Stay tuned for more information on the 33-acre fuels reduction and habitat restoration project happening at a critical wildfire pinch point on Red Mountain.
Landscape Spotlight: Prescribed Fires 2022 & 2023
With the help of many local partners, AFPD helped with the 750-acre Collins Creek Prescribed Burn on April 30, 2023, as well as the 900-acre Hunter Creek Prescribed Burn on May 13, 2022. This project helped reduce wildfire risk and improve habitat for many different species of wildlife. Learn more about the benefits of prescribed fire here.
Landscape Spotlight: Bark Beetle Treatments
Fires in beetle-killed areas are typically more severe, difficult to revegetate, and can experience high erosion. That's why, starting in 2022, AFPD and other local partners have been working together to improve the health of our local forests. Learn more here.
Homeowner Spotlight: Chipper Program
In 2022, AFPD's pilot chipper program successfully helped homeowners reduce hazardous fuels and create defensible space around homes. Participating homeowners received guidelines for pre-registration, removing flammable brush, and stacking it near the side of the road. A contractor, acquired via competitive bid, chipped brush piles and brought them to the Pitkin County Landfill for composting.
- Participating HOA's: 3
- Total fuels removed: 238 cubic yards of wood chips
In 2023, in partnership with Pitkin County and City of Aspen, AFPD offered an expanded chipper program for high-wildfire-risk neighborhoods.
- Participating HOA's: 9
- Total fuels removed: 35.84 tons
If you live in a high-risk neighborhood and would like to participate in 2024, click here or contact Ali.Hammond@AspenFire.com.
Did you know? Aspen Fire's Prevention team provides resources to help homeowners live wildfire ready.
- No-Cost Wildfire Risk Assessments
- In 2022, the AFPD Prevention team conducted 67 individual homeowner assessments and 1,967 curbside assessments.
- Wildfire Risk Mapping
- Learn about your area's risk versus your structure's risk.
- Colorado Income Tax incentives
- Educational events
- Join us each May for a celebration of Wildfire Preparedness Month!
- Email ali.hammond@aspenfire.com to schedule a wildfire presentation at your next HOA meeting!
- Project Coordination
- Have a fuels reduction project but don't know where to start? Email ali.hammond@aspenfire.com!
