Denver — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, alongside Colorado U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, and Brittany Pettersen announced over $26 million in funding from the U.S. Forest Service Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program to reduce wildfire risk and protect vulnerable communities across Colorado. This funding is part of $5.5 billion passed in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for forest management and wildfire preparedness.
“In the last few years, Colorado has faced increasingly devastating threats from the largest wildfires in our state’s history,” said Bennet. “Investing in wildfire mitigation and preparedness is critical to safeguarding our communities, public lands, and way of life for future generations. I’m glad the investments we fought to secure in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continue to benefit Colorado and support important wildfire preparedness efforts across the state.”
“Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is all about giving communities the tools to tackle 21st-century challenges,” said Hickenlooper. “These local projects will help communities in Colorado and the West prepare for severe wildfires and address local risks. They’re the bipartisan solutions that Congress should deliver frequently.”
“With fires raging across the West year-round, it’s more important than ever that we invest in wildfire mitigation projects throughout our communities. I’m proud to see that the resources that we fought to secure in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will fund critical projects across Colorado,” said Neguse.
“It’s critically important to protect Coloradans from wildfires. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I am bringing home federal dollars to our state to help prevent and respond to wildfires so we can keep Colorado communities safe,” said Crow.
“As wildfire season becomes a year-round threat, we need to do everything possible to protect people and properties,” said Pettersen. “These funds – made possible by the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – will allow Jefferson County to put its wildfire management plan into action, giving communities the tools and knowledge they need to adapt to a worsening climate crisis and stay resilient against future threats.”
As a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Bennet has consistently supported forest and watershed health and helped Colorado communities recover from wildfires. In February, Bennet reintroduced the Protect the West Act to invest $60 billion in forest management and protection across the West. In March, Bennet reintroduced bipartisan legislation to improve and expedite emergency forest and watershed recovery efforts. Earlier this month, he reintroduced legislation to prevent water pollution and improve watershed health. As the Chair of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Bennet also helped secure $5 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act for our forests and has welcomed over $160 million of forestry funding to Colorado.
A full list of funded Colorado projects is below:
| Recipient | Funding Amount | Project Title | Description |
| Coalition for the Upper South Platte | $249,290 | Coalition for the Upper South Platte Park County CWPP Update | This project will update the county-wide 2007 Park County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The updated plan will meet all current requirements put forth by the Colorado State Forest Service and The Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003. |
| Grand County Wildfire Council | $2,448,000 | Grand County West Granby Fuels Corridor | The project is an 800-acre hazardous fuels reduction effort west and south of Granby, Colorado. This project will include strategic fuel breaks that will protect Granby and fuels reduction work will connect and enhance multiple ongoing wildfire mitigation efforts. |
| Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office | $9,668,390 | Jefferson County Wildland Fire Risk Mitigation, Education and Capacity Building | Funds from this grant will support implementation of the Jefferson County Wildfire Management Plan (WFMP) and Sustainable Lands And Safer Homes (SLASH) program. |
| Larimer County Office of Emergency Management | $9,856,000 | Protecting the Gateway to the Rockies | This project will improve wildfire defense in the area known as the “Gateway to the Rockies”. |
| Roaring Fork Valley Wildfire Collaborative | $865,009 | Glenwood Springs Wildfire Mitigation and Home Resilience Project | The Glenwood Springs Wildfire Mitigation and Home Resilience Project is designed to reduce wildfire risk, enhance community preparedness, and protect critical infrastructure. |
| The Ember Alliance | $118,814 | Livermore Fire Protection District CWPP Development | This project will create a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for the Livermore Fire Protection District in Larimer County, Colorado to effectively plan for and mitigate the risk of wildfires. |
| White River Conservation District | $531,308 | Resident Mitigation & Resilience Project in Eastern Rio Blanco County | Over four years, the project will assist at-risk groups in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) priority-identified areas to help them prepare for and reduce the risks associated with wildfires. |
| Wildfire Adapted Partnership | $2,573,318 | CWPP implementation in Montezuma County, CO | This project will involve multiple programs and initiatives aimed at educating the public and enhancing wildfire preparedness, supporting defensible space and community cost share projects. |
More information on the Colorado projects is available HERE.
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