County fire prevention ballot measures also aimed at Longmont

One of the worst fire disasters in Boulder County history could have become even more devastating if not for the quick work of local fire crews, Boulder County Commissioner Matt Jones said recently. The Middle Fork fire started Dec. 30, near North Foothills Parkway and Middle Fork Road about an hour before the Marshall fire ignited and could have swept into north Longmont, causing property damage and putting lives at risk, Jones said.

The Middle Fork fire was put out quickly by fire responders. The conditions that fed it and the Marshall fire — dry grass and high winds — are likely to repeat themselves in the months and years to come, leaving Longmont vulnerable to ferocious fires that are not limited to the mountains or foothills. That’s why Longmont residents need to prepare for the worst by backing two fire mitigation measures on the November ballot, Jones said.

Both County Issues 1A and 1B seemingly favor only the hilly, rugged areas of Boulder County. But Jones — along with County Commission Chair Marta Loachamin — said the two proposals fund much needed improvements to prevent vulnerable areas in eastern Boulder County from wildfire and boost emergency response time to help injured residents.

“Longmont was in line for a huge disaster” from the Middle Fork Fire, Jones said. “Longmont is at risk … the whole Front Range is at risk,” Jones said.

County Issue 1A would establish a 0.1% countywide sales and use tax for the purpose of funding countywide wildfire mitigation efforts to proactively address the increasing risk of climate-driven wildfires in two programmatic areas, according to the measure. 

The first is to conduct strategic forest and grassland management projects — using Fireshed partnerships —  to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, protect water supplies and create more resilient forest and grassland ecosystems. 

The second is to help residents in the mountains and plains prepare for wildfires by making homes more fire resistant using community partnerships, individual technical assistance and rebates through programs like Wildfire Partners.

The measure would extend the Wildfire Partners program, which offers individual, on-site, wildfire home assessment, Jones said.

“It can educate people on what they can do around their house to make them fire resistant,” Jones said. “Things like don’t put vegetation within five feet of your house and on your roof, put in replacement vents to screen out embers from fires.”

“After the Marshall fire, the whole county needs to do that,” he said.

The measure would also boost funding for watershed protection for Longmont’s water supply. Those efforts would benefit Longmont by keeping the city’s drinking water safe and flowing in case of a major fire, Longmont Fire Chief Dan Higgins said.

“The city’s water supply at Button Rock Reservoir could be affected” by a wildfire, Higgins said. “There is some mitigation work in our water supply system that could help Longmont.”

Higgins said he is not sure yet how the new funding would be distributed to various Boulder County communities. As a city employee, Higgins said, he can not say he is for or against either measure.

County Issue 1B would establish a 0.1%, declining to 0.05% after five years, countywide sales and use tax for the purpose of funding emergency response, including: facility, equipment, capital and operational costs of search and rescue organizations; funding for the capital needs of fire departments in mountainous and rural areas; ambulance services in areas not covered by municipal ambulance services; wildland firefighting staffing; and other projects and services to address the need for emergency services and public safety in unincorporated Boulder County.

Loachamin said the measure is a simple way for the county to take care of the highly-skilled volunteers who go out every day and night to rescue people who hike and bike in Boulder County and sometimes get injured and need emergency help.

“Think of all the friends, family and folks we invite to come out and see Boulder County and enjoy what we have to offer, and rescue them when they need it the most,” she said.

Both the measures — including a proposal to extend the county’s transportation tax — received wide support in an annual public opinion survey conducted by Drake Research and Strategy, Inc. 

The Longmont City Council also unanimously voted to support all three proposals. 

City Councilor Marcia Martin said the fire mitigation measures, especially 1B, would encourage better communication between fire services throughout the county. “This is something that will become even more important in the future,” she said.