Allenspark Fire Protection District Community Wildfire Protection Plan
July 2024 Project Update

A Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is a collaborative plan developed by communities working together with their local fire protection district, local government, state and national agencies, community members, and other interested parties. The purpose of the CWPP is to identify and prioritize concerns and actions for protecting life, property, and essential infrastructure in the event of a wildfire.
The community served by the Allenspark Fire Protection District (AFPD) created its first CWPP in 2009. Efforts are now underway to update that plan.

  • Meetings to update the AFPD CWPP began in July 2023.

  • A Core Team and Extended Core Team were formed.

  • The Core Team includes:

    • Mike Cousineau, Fire Chief, AFPD

    • Teresa Hoffman, Administration, AFPD

    • Bill Ellis, AFPD Fire Board member

    • Ron Gosnell

    • Meg Halford, Boulder County

    • Eric Frederick, The Watershed Center

    • Ben Pfohl, Colorado State Forest Service

    • Roger Sherman, President, Tahosa Valley Landowners Association

    • Joanne Brownhill

    • Janet Burgan

  • The Core Team meets approximately monthly and is responsible for making decisions and moving the project forward.

  • The Extended Core Team includes the Core Team as well as representatives from other agencies and organizations such as the US Forest Service (US Department of Agriculture), Rocky Mountain National Park (US Department of the Interior), St. Vrain Forest Health Partnership, Colorado Department of Transportation, Boulder County Parks & Open Space, and others.

  • The Extended Core Team meets as needed.

  • The AFPD received two grants to help fund the CWPP project:

    • $50,000 Strategic Fuels Mitigation Grant (SFMG) from Boulder County.

    • $100,000 Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) from the US Forest Service (USDA).

  • AFPD previously received a $10,734 donation from Forestry Management, Inc., for updating the CWPP.

  • Fire Adaptive Solutions (FAS), Marc McDonald, Operations Section Chief, was hired in June 2024 as the consulting company to lead the writing and research for the CWPP.

  • The Core Team will work closely with FAS and Marc McDonald going forward to develop the CWPP.

  • Community input is essential for the success of any CWPP. The Core Team and Consultant will review comments gathered at previous community meetings. Additional opportunities for public input and participation will be provided as the project progresses.

  • The Core Team will have CWPP information tables at the following events:

    • St. Vrain Forest Health Partnership All-Hands Meeting, Wednesday July 31, 2024
      Highlands Camp and Retreat Center, Allenspark CO
      Meeting 5:30 PM–7:30 PM
      Pre-meeting forestry project tour 4:30 PM–5:30 PM

    • Tahosa Valley Landowners Association 55th Annual Meeting, Saturday August 10, 2024
      High Peak Camp Chapel (The Salvation Army), Estes Park CO
      Meeting 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM