This landscape should be covered with snow in December, but that’s not blowing snow, it’s dry ash from the Lee Fire burn scar southwest of Meeker. When the ash settles, it drifts like sand, further complicating recovery efforts and warning of additional flooding and debris flows in the future. KATHLEEN KELLEY[Read More…]
Tag: Fire Recovery
SBA offers relief to small businesses and private nonprofits affected by fires, flooding
PRESS RELEASE RBC | The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced low interest federal disaster loans are now available to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Colorado who sustained economic losses caused by the Lee and Elk Fires, mudslides and debris flows occurring Aug. 2-29. The SBA issued[Read More…]
Looking at the land through the lens of fire and flood
MEEKER | Water has always been a priority in the Josephine Basin — the broad valley southwest of Meeker named for the draw where Josephine Meeker and the women of the White River settlement were held captive after the 1879 uprising. The basin depends on rainfall and spring runoff, both[Read More…]
‘A community that shows up’: Ashes to Action highlights recovery, resilience after Lee and Elk Fires, updates on damages incurred
MEEKER | Last Saturday’s Ashes to Action gathering brought nearly 90 residents together for an update on post-fire recovery efforts from multiple agencies. Rio Blanco County Commissioner Doug Overton opened the meeting with a brief account of the unified response to the Lee and Elk fires. “We are a county[Read More…]
Commissioners share letter sent to President’s office
PRESS RELEASE RBC | The following is the text of a letter sent to the President’s office by the Rio Blanco County Board of Commissioners requesting approval of a declaration of disaster following the Lee and Elk fires. The Honorable Donald J. Trump President of the United States The White[Read More…]
Fire recovery information for businesses, ag producers
MEEKER | Since the Lee and Elk Fires do not have a FEMA Public Assistance declaration yet, the Fire Recovery Team is working to request a Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan (SBA EIDL) declaration. The deadline for requesting the SBA EIDL may expire before FEMA and the President[Read More…]
Funding request for fire recovery heads to D.C.
RBC | Gov. Jared Polis has formally requested a federal disaster declaration for two wildfires that burned over 150,000 acres in Rio Blanco County this summer. The Lee and Elk fires grew rapidly and forced evacuations in and around the town of Meeker after they were started by lightning on[Read More…]
RIO BLANCO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS: Fire and flood recovery update
RBC | In our Aug. 20 letter we wrote, “In coming weeks, Rio Blanco County and partners will be assessing damage, evaluating and re-evaluating recovery needs. We’ve established work recovery areas to address these needs and appointed leads for each focus area. This coalition will guide the recovery process when[Read More…]
Open, drop-in community meeting Thursday for landowners affected by the Lee and Elk Fires
MEEKER | We understand there are many challenges following the recent fires, and we want to ensure landowners have support and clear information moving forward. Join us for an open, drop-in, community meeting where staff from the BLM, Rio Blanco County, and the Conservation Districts will be on hand to[Read More…]