Webinar on Montezuma County wildfire risk is coming up

Community invited to join discussion is May 21

A webinar on local wildfire conditions and mitigation will be broadcast online May 21 at 6 p.m. by the Dolores Watershed Resilient Forest Collaborative.

The presentation, titled “What Is My Wildlife Risk?” can be accessed live via the DWRF website at dwrfcollaborative.org

It features local professionals Danny Margoles, DWARF director; Patrick Seekins, fire management officer for the San Juan National Forest; Alex Graf, director of Wildfire Adapted Partnership; and Becca Samulski, with Fire Adapted Colorado.

The agenda includes:

Update on the wildfire outlook for the area.Information on the rapid wildfire risk assessments completed for businesses and residents in the town of Dolores.Information on community resources and cost share opportunities for wildfire mitigation.Update on Forest Service wildfire mitigation efforts to protect the community and resources.After the presentations, the public may type questions for panel discussion.

The webinar is an alternative to a gathering that would not be permitted of the coronavirus pandemic, said Margoles.

“We’ve adapted our approach, because the events we normally do outreach at are canceled,” he said. “Fire risk does not go away because the coronavirus is here.”

Drought conditions have returned to the Four Corners, creating significant wildfire danger, officials report.

“We want to make sure homeowners have the resources they need to mitigate their risks and protect themselves and their property,” Margoles said.

For more information email Margoles at coordinator@dwrfcollaborative.org

May 8, 2020
Southwest Colorado’s ‘mega-drought’ raises wildfire concerns