Organized by the Routt County Wildfire Mitigation Council.

The 2020 wildfire season was another record breaker. Routt County was surrounded by wildfires and was witness to the incredible destruction in nearby Grand and Jackson County. Fire is part of our environment and we all are exposed to some risk, no matter where we live. At this year’s Routt County Wildfire Mitigation Conference, we will have local and regional experts present on steps that we all can take – from the individual homeowner to our community stakeholders – to mitigate risks and be prepared in the face of a wildfire. This community event will take place virtually beginning on Thursday, April 29 from 5 to 6:30pm and running every Thursday evening through May, following the schedule below:

Webinar 1:

Learning from 2020 to Prepare for Wildfire Season (1.5 hrs)- DNR, USFS, County OEM, Grand Fire, CSFS, Council.
Through a moderated conversation, our panel of expert stakeholders will discuss lessons learned from the 2020  fire season and what is happening at the state and local level to get ready for this season.

Webinar 2:

Home Ignition Zone & Ready, Set, Go: Being Prepared as an Individual Home or Ranch Owner (1.25 hrs) – Dan Beveridge (CSFS) and Todd Hagenbuch (CSU Ext)
Wildfire mitigation starts with YOU as a landowner.  This webinar will  focus on what landowners can do to reduce wildfire risk around their property. Detailed information will be provided on the Home Ignition Zone/Defensible space concepts and how to get ready to evacuate in the event of a wildfire. 

Webinar 3:

HOAs and Small Communities: Case Studies and Best Practices for Mitigation (1.25 hrs) – Becca Samulski (FACO) and Chief Wisecup/Brady Glauthier (Oak Creek/Stagecoach case study)
No matter how prepared you are as a landowner, it is critical to address wildfire risks throughout your community. This webinar focuses on the concept of a fire adapted community (FAC), and what a community/HOA could do to reduce wildfire risk at a bigger scale. We will discuss in detail the idea of a FAC and learn best practices from a local case study.

Webinar 4:

Preparedness and Recovery (1.25 hrs) – Shelly Olson (Grand Fire – ET) & Frank Alfone/Kelly Romero-Heaney (Water in Steamboat)
Wildfire not only damages our homes but can impact community infrastructure and assets. This webinar will focus on wildfire preparedness and recovery across an entire community. Our presenters will address what can be done before a wildfire and the work that comes after, reflecting on last year’s fire season and some of those lessons learned.

The weather is warming up, flowers are blooming, and we are all ready for long, summer days spent outside. That’s why we at YVSC are so excited to bring back a summer activity staple, the CARbon-Free Challenge (formerly known as the Commuter Challenge), taking place from June 1-30.

As in years past, participants will log their miles for the chance to win awesome prizes from our local sponsors and have the ability to take part as a solo rider, family, or adult team. In keeping with the changes that were made last year, participants will still be allowed to log miles for commuting, running errands or just simply enjoying all that the beautiful Yampa Valley has to offer, all while using an alternative form of travel (e.g. walking, biking, longboarding, rollerblading, etc.). Visit the CARbon-Free Challenge web page for more information about how to register and participate. Also, give the Facebook page a “like” to stay up-to-date on the latest information and see fun photos from other participants.