Surrounded by forests, the town of Dolores is at risk for wildfires, a situation made worse by the extended drought.

The town is raising awareness about the issue, including wildfire mitigation opportunities for property owners.

On Feb. 9, a presentation on wildfire risk, programs and financial assistance to reduce hazards was given by the town of Dolores, Wildfire Adapted Partnership, San Juan National Forest, Dolores Fire Department, Dolores Watershed Resilient Forest Collaboration and Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.

“After the Marshall Fire, we decided it would be good idea to get fire professionals to talk about fire mitigation,” said Town Manager Ken Charles.

The presentation is available on the town of Dolores’ YouTube page.

Brad Pietruszka, a wildfire specialist with the San Juan National Forest, spoke about the history and risk of wildfires near town.

Since 1992, 155 wildfires have scorched 800 acres within 5 miles of town, he said.

The largest was the Roatcap fire, which burned 414 acres in 2012 and was deemed to have been caused by humans. In 2020, spontaneous combustion is suspected to have ignited the Aspen Wallwood slash pile, which burned for weeks, and was fortunate that it burned in winter with snow cover.

Of the wildfires near Dolores, 65% were attributed to humans, and 35% were attributed to lightning. This ratio is typical for wildfire incidents near populated areas.

Countywide, modeling shows Dolores is most at risk for wildfire, Pietruszka said. On average the town has a greater likelihood for wildfire than 42% of Colorado communities.

Wildfire risk to specific communities can be found at wildfirerisk.org.

On the extreme fire weather day of June 10, 2018, about 10,000 acres burned between the 416 Fire in La Plata County and the Burro Fire in Montezuma and Dolores counties.

Modeling based on the weather conditions as that day showed a wildfire would rapidly spread through the forest on the southern edge of Dolores within one day, and burn into neighborhoods.

‘That is alarming,” Pietruszka said, adding the hypothetical is a one-in-a-thousand wildfire event on the far end of the probability scale.

To reduce the risks of wildfire, the town is encouraging residents to reduce combustible material around their properties.

A few years ago, individual site assessments on wildfire risk were done for homes in Dolores by Dolores Watershed Resilient Forest and Wildfire Adapted Partnership. Postcards with links to obtain a readout of the wildfire risk for that property were emailed. About 12% of residents accessed the reports, said Danny Margoles, director of DWRF.

“The goal is everyone can do important work on properties to reduce risk for you and your neighbor,” Margoles said.

Alex Graf, Montezuma County coordinator for Wildfire Adapted Partnership, gave a presentation on wildfire risk mitigation for properties.

Two factors are primary: defensible space around your home to prevent and fight the fire, and the structure’s potential for ignition.

“Embers are really crucial to think about,” Graf said. The majority of homes we have seen burn were are due to ember ignition.”

Risk factors for homes include roofs, eaves, siding and vents and the presence of decks, sheds, fences, firewood piles, brush leaves and pine needles.

For defensible space, there should be nothing flammable within 5 feet of the house, and the first 30 feet should be relatively open without dead vegetation. Trees should be spaced and limbed.

Defensible space does not mean you have to cut down all the trees and live in a clear cut, Graf said.

“We can do fire mitigation in a way that retains trees and the natural beauty that makes a home a home,” he said.

The town has been analyzing wildfire prone areas for the last year, including on Merritt Way. The neighborhood is bordered by thick forest and the single access point is the only way in and out.

WAP offers free expert site assessments and cost shares for wildfire mitigation efforts. The visits offer advice and take one hour. Grant money is available to reimburse property owners up to 45% for contractor costs to reduce fuels around the home.

For information and to schedule a WAP visit, email agraf@wildfireadpated.org or call 845-750-2914.

Contact DWRF for a property assessment at coordinator@dwrfcollaborative.org or call (952) 457-8586.

jmimiaga@the-journal.com