The Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District covering Breckenridge, Blue River and most of southern Summit County, has begun rolling out a wildfire mitigation campaign encouraging residents to help maximize the area’s fire resilience prior to an expectedly extra hot and dry summer. 

Fire Chief Drew Hoehn outlined the district’s strategy during a presentation to Breckenridge Town Council on Tuesday, April 14, pointing to both increased internal capacity and a shift to increased enforcement of restricted wildfire policies in conjunction with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. Hoehn and Noelle Valentine, Red, White & Blue’s public outreach coordinator, said both agencies will be stricter in shutting down unsanctioned bonfires often involving local high schoolers. 

“It’s a no-tolerance approach this year, whereas in the past we’ve taken more of an educational approach,” Hoehn said. “It’s certainly a departure from how those parties have been regarded in past years.” 

As worsening drought conditions and an unusually rapid snowpack melt leave much of the state increasingly dry, experts have warned that Colorado is heading into a more active wildfire season. Nowhere in the West are conditions as severe, according to a recent report from the U.S. Drought Monitor. All of Summit County is currently listed as experiencing an “exceptional” drought, which is the most severe designation on the scale

“We just can’t take the risk this year,” Hoehn said.

In preparation for the season, Hoehn said the Red, White & Blue has already been coordinating with partner agencies, including Summit Fire & EMS, and ramping up internal training. 

“We conduct an annual refresher training every year for our wildfire response, and we’ve already had our preseason meetings with all our stakeholders,” Hoen said. 

The fire district also recently promoted three staff members into specialist roles, a move Hoehn said was intended to “create a little extra horsepower for our mitigation inspections, operational planning and administrative capacities. 

Valentine summarized the department’s coordinated public outreach campaign, which she said aims to encourage residents to take an active role in wildfire mitigation.

“We’re looking at our wildfire communications campaign as kind of a six-month marathon,” Valentine said. “We are really focusing on our messaging being appropriately timed.”

Valentine said that officials are working with agencies across the county to maintain consistency when providing information to the public. She noted the department has also identified a need for additional outreach for short-term rental units.

“We are really working hard to make countywide decisions so that there’s no mixed messaging,” Valentine said.

Red, White & Blue has already launched its “Pre-Green Up Clean Up” social media campaign, requesting residents begin mitigation work at their properties as snow continues to melt. 

“My hope is that when everyone’s yards are snow-free again,we can get back on track,” Valentine said. 

The effort is part of a broader strategy broken into three seasonal phases:

• Pre-green up cleanup: Walk your home’s perimeter and remove trash and debris; rake or leaf blow the first 5 feet around your home; trim shrubs and tree branches within 5-10 feet of your home.
• Mid-summer cut and clear: cut and maintain grasses within 30 feet of your home; remove stored items from underneath decks; remove excess vegetation within 5 feet of your home.
• Reduce fall fuels: weed whack wildflowers and grasses within 100 feet of your home; clean gutters, roof and exterior vents; leaf blow often as the aspens drop their leaves. 

“By October we’re really trying to find bite-sized tasks that especially our workforce families can do around their properties in 30 minutes,” Valentine said.

Council member Marika Page asked whether the district could help communicate schedules for county crews collecting downed vegetation placed along roadways for pick-up. Hoehn said the department will place an added emphasis on coordinating and advertising countywide cleanup efforts including the longtime Chipping Program that Page referenced. 

In March, district staff visited elementary schools and sent students home with informational materials, including instructions for assembling emergency “go kits,” which contain necessities like food, water, copies of important documents, evacuation maps, medications and other essentials. Council member Jay Beckerman asked whether outreach would also target older students. Hoehn said they plan to speak with juniors and seniors at Summit High School in May with messaging tailored to address risky behaviors.

“That’s more from a ‘no-bonfires-at-your-parties-in-the-woods’ stance,” Valentine said. 

The district is also reinforcing existing fire regulations. Control, or slash, burning is prohibited from Memorial Day to Labor Day or during periods of elevated fire danger. Some recreational fires are allowed but require permitting. 

For more information on wildfire restrictions, visit the Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District’s website at RWBFire.org.