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Colorado wildfire program invests 47.6 million in mitigation over five years
ColoradoBiz Staff //August 27, 2026//
Deposit Photos
Deposit Photos
Colorado wildfire program invests 47.6 million in mitigation over five years
ColoradoBiz Staff //August 27, 2026//
In Brief:
- Colorado wildfire program awarded 47.58 million in grants
- Grants supported projects in 171 communities across 30 counties
- Program funded 112 workforce projects training 753 people
- Legislature approved permanent 6 million annual appropriation
DENVER — Colorado’s Strategic Wildfire Action Program has awarded $47.58 million through 141 grants since its creation in 2021, according to a five-year report released Aug. 26 by the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.
The grants supported projects benefiting 171 communities in 30 counties. The program treated or funded work on 16,473 acres of federal, state, tribal, county, municipal and private land. Projects also received $13.79 million in matching funds from participating organizations.
The program funded 112 workforce development projects that provided training and experience to 753 people entering wildfire mitigation and suppression jobs.
“Wildfires do not recognize landownership boundaries and neither could our mitigation efforts,” DNR Executive Director Dan Gibbs said.
Among the projects, the St. Vrain Forest Health Partnership received $1 million for work on 420 acres surrounding Ralph Price Reservoir, the primary drinking water source for Lyons and Longmont. The project led to management plans covering more than 2,000 additional acres and secured nearly $2 million in other funding.
A Lake County project used inmate firefighting crews to reduce fire risks on nearly 150 acres near neighborhoods and schools.
The Legislature has approved a permanent annual appropriation of $6 million for the program. Applications for its next round of landscape resilience grants are scheduled to open this fall. The next workforce development grant opportunity is planned for fall 2027.
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