An aerial view of Meeker gives an idea of where a fire break could prevent a fire from coming down China Wall and into town. There will be a public meeting at the Meeker Fire House Feb. 1 | LUCAS TURNER PHOTO
MEEKER I A proposed “fire break” north of Meeker may soon become reality after multiple years of discussions, planning and navigating red-tape come to a close. Land managers, first responders and emergency personnel’s various descriptions of the concept can be summarized as a proactive fire-protection measure. By clearing vegetation, (particularly highly flammable fuels) from a 40-60 foot wide zone, crews would effectively do the work of wildfire crews beforehand, saving precious time, personnel and resources in the event of a worst-case-scenario, i.e. a massive fire threatening the Town of Meeker.
Landon Smith of the Bureau of Land Management’s White River Field Office explained that if a fire ever got close enough to threaten town, it would likely be a result of “a pretty bad day” with a combination of high winds, dry conditions and stretched resources. Because of this, any time advantage gained by a pre-built fire line could mean the difference between a charred mountainside, and the actual loss of structures. “If all we have to do is wait for a window and roll up and burn it, it’s gonna save everybody a lot of heartache,” said Smith, referring to the process of “back-burning,” or fighting fire with fire.
Above, a map of the proposed fire break location along China Wall. | BLM PHOTO
Fire breaks, whether pre-built or constructed rapidly during active firefighting work, not only create a physical barrier between flammable materials, they also allow for safe and effective back burning. ”That fuel break is designed for us to be able to light off of, and try to take out the fuel between the fuel break and the fire, so that when the weather event does hit, it gives us a better chance of keeping it out of town.”
The proposed project has gained relevance in recent weeks, thanks to the high-profile Marshall Fire in Boulder County that burned over 1,000 structures, surpassing the 2013 Black Forest Fire as the state’s most destructive fire.
Apart from the ongoing proof-of-concept demonstrated on a regular basis during active fire-fighting operations, fire breaks of the kind being discussed for Meeker have been attributed to saving hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. According to USDA.gov [1] fire breaks (along with other proactive forest treatment efforts) helped save structures during the Buffalo Fire in 2018 by reducing available fuels to burn, offering “safe places for firefighters to aggressively fight the fire” and providing effective fire-retardant drop zones.
Sitting Chairman of the Rio Blanco County board of commissioners, and former Emergency Manager Ty Gates said the project initially came up in conversation during training a few years back when he was still serving as the county’s Emergency Manager. “A long time ago one of my mentors told me that ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’ so if we’re being proactive then hopefully it works out in our favor,” said Gates, who applied that advice to get the fire break process started in earnest. Approximate locations were mapped by county GIS, and the concept was discussed in official meetings before eventually getting stalled in legal red-tape. “It just kind of stood still for a while, then I told Eddie (Smercina) about it and he picked up the ball and got it back in motion” said Gates, referring to RBC’s current Emergency Manager, Eddie Smercina.
Smercina has discussed the subject regularly in recent public meetings, updating county commissioners and staff on the steps required to finalize the process.
Wrapping up said process will be no small feat as the local BLM office nears completion of a complex and multi-year long NEPA process, and officials seek consent of landowners, both private and public. Though the majority of impacted land is owned by the Eastern Rio Blanco Metropolitan (ERBM) Recreation & Park District and the Town of Meeker, a few private landowners would also need to consent to have the fire break go through their property.
Both Smercina and Smith noted that things were going well in terms of landowner relations, but emphasized how important it is to make sure everyone can voice their concerns, and get information about what exactly the project entails.
The BLM is currently seeking public comments on the proposed project, due Feb. 2. In conjunction with local entities involved, including ERBM, Rio Blanco County, the Town of Meeker and the Meeker Fire Protection District, BLM is hosting an information meeting on Feb. 1 at 6pm at the Meeker Fire House at 240 7th Street.
By LUCAS TURNER | [email protected]om
