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Tag: Wildfire Risk

New Colorado Laws Bring Major Changes July 1 for Gun Buyers, Homeowners, and Hunters
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Colorado Politics, Approved, State

New Colorado Laws Bring Major Changes July 1 for Gun Buyers, Homeowners, and Hunters

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics Colorado will usher in a new set of laws on July 1 that touch everything from ammunition sales to insurance transparency and wildlife trafficking enforcement. Here is a look at some of the state’s new laws: Ammunition sales Sponsored by Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, and Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver, and Sens. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, and Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, House Bill 25-1133 raises the minimum age to purchase ammunition from 18 to 21 years old. The bill also requires written notice to delivery drivers transporting boxes of ammunition, requires them to verify that the recipient is at least 21 and directs sellers to store ammunition in a secure area inaccessible to customers with...
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Colorado Officials Push For Emergency Drought Declaration As Conditions Worsen
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Colorado Officials Push For Emergency Drought Declaration As Conditions Worsen

By: Shannon Mullane | The Colorado Sun Shifting into the next phase of the state’s emergency drought response plan could unlock more resources and funding. WINTER PARK — Members of the Colorado Drought Task Force want Gov. Jared Polis to issue an emergency proclamation to unlock more help, potentially from state coffers, in face of worrisome drought conditions.  After a historically bad winter that ended a month early, Colorado is already feeling the impacts — whether that’s financial strain, tough business decisions or an overstressed environment. As part of the state’s response, the task force recommended Monday moving into the highest level, phase three, of the state’s drought response plan. The move could allow the state to tap more resources or seek a presi...
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Colorado Mountain Towns Feel Economic Pain After Historic Dry Winter
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Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Colorado Mountain Towns Feel Economic Pain After Historic Dry Winter

By Bernadette Berdychowski | Colorado Politics Rocky, snow‑starved slopes. Rivers rising too soon. Resorts shutting down in April. Drought rules spreading statewide. These aren’t just signs of a bad winter — they’re red flags. And now another one is flashing across the Rockies: falling sales‑tax revenues that threaten the budgets and stability of mountain towns already stretched thin. Sales‑tax revenues — a key measure of local spending and a major source of city funding — dropped across many Colorado mountain towns in the first months of the year, largely because the unusually dry winter kept visitors away. In December, some towns saw only slight declines or even small gains. In Breckenridge, businesses said tourists who had already booked their trips an...
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Zero Tolerance Policy Targets Rising Lawlessness In Pike National Forest
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Approved, Local, Pikes Peak Courier

Zero Tolerance Policy Targets Rising Lawlessness In Pike National Forest

By Pat Hill | Pikes Peak Courier A recent operation in Pike National Forest by Sheriff Jason Mikesell and his officers resulted in 100 contacts and issued 42 citations. At the same time, the officers put out campfires left unattended. “That was in one weekend,” Mikesell said. Speaking four days before holding a press conference, Mikesell offered a heads-up on the chaos on the forest. “We’ve seen over 300 side-by-sides; the people are from Denver, Aurora, Pueblo, Colorado Springs and out-of-state,” he said. “We’ve found that they are ruining wildlife areas, running off road and tearing up roads that are an access to wildlife.” The sheriff tells of an incident where drivers in a side-by side did multiple “360s” around a tent where a family was probably sleeping at 1:20 a.m. ...
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San Luis Valley Faces Power Shutoffs As Drought And Winds Intensify Fire Threat
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

San Luis Valley Faces Power Shutoffs As Drought And Winds Intensify Fire Threat

By Scott Weiser | The Denver Gazette Xcel Energy will implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff for some customers in parts of western Colorado and the San Luis Valley on Wednesday because of extreme wildfire risk driven by strong winds, low humidity, hot weather and very dry conditions, the company said. The shutoff will start around noon Wednesday in portions of Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla and Rio Grande counties, Xcel said in a Tuesday afternoon news release. Conditions are expected to improve around 7 p.m. Wednesday, with restoration beginning as soon as lines can be safely inspected. About 7,100 customers are expected to be impacted by the shutoff, Xcel said. Much of the region is in extreme to exceptional drought following a record warm and dry winter, accord...
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Insurance relief or government growth: Colorado bills reveal two competing paths
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Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, State

Insurance relief or government growth: Colorado bills reveal two competing paths

Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project The two bills linked at bottom (SB26-049 and SB26-155 respectively) present an interesting contrast in policy intended to lower homeowners insurance premiums. I thought a comparison of the two might be illuminating. It’s not going to be entirely black and white, these aren’t polar opposites, but in looking at the bills together I think you can get a sense of the “legislative style” of those involved. The fiscal notes of both provide a pretty apt summary, so let’s start there. Screenshots 1a and 1b show the summary for SB26-049. Screenshots 2a and 2b show the summary for SB26-155. In the former you increase the people who qualify for grants from an existing enterpr...
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Xcel Energy Prepares Shutoffs In Drought Stricken Regions In Western And Southern Colorado
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CBS Colorado, Approved, State

Xcel Energy Prepares Shutoffs In Drought Stricken Regions In Western And Southern Colorado

By Christa Swanson | CBS Colorado Xcel Energy announced that customers in parts of western Colorado and the San Luis Valley should prepare for possible power shutoffs on Wednesday. Strong winds, combined with dry conditions and low humidity, will result in high wildfire risk. "To reduce the risk of wildfire and support public safety, we are planning for a possible Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) beginning on Wednesday, April 22, around 9 a.m. MT for some customers in Garfield, Mesa and Pitkin counties, and around 11 a.m. MT for some customers in Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande and Saguache counties," the company said. Many of these areas are already experiencing extreme or exceptional drought, and the National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag...
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Xcel Warns of Targeted Power Shutoffs as Extreme Winds Threaten Northern Colorado
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kdvr.com, Approved, Local

Xcel Warns of Targeted Power Shutoffs as Extreme Winds Threaten Northern Colorado

By Courtney Fromm | KDVR GOLDEN, Colo. (KDVR) — Wind gusts have already started to pick up across the metro, but Xcel said certain portions of the state are anticipating strong gusts, which could lead to power shutoffs. “We’ve really been monitoring it, we have really seen an uptick in the forecast for the wind in particular,” Andrew Holder with Xcel said. Map: These Colorado areas could see power outages He explained they have a team of meteorologists who work 24/7 to make sure they are ready to go in any sort of weather event. He said the past few dry months Colorado has seen are no help. “Everyone that lives here in Colorado understands how dry this is, which makes it an extreme wildfire risk environment,” Holder said. “We have the lowest snowpack...
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Tens of Thousands Still Without Power as Xcel Eyes Another Front Range Shutdown
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CBS Colorado, Approved, State

Tens of Thousands Still Without Power as Xcel Eyes Another Front Range Shutdown

By Jesse Sarles | CBS Colorado For just the second time in Colorado state history, Xcel Energy shut off power to thousands of people pre-emptively due to dangerous wind and fire conditions on Wednesday. At the height of the windstorm, 150,000 customers were without power.  More than 55,000 customers were still without power at midday on Thursday. There are delays in the power restoration process because Xcel crews are working with drones and helicopters to make sure there are no downed power lines in any areas where they are set to bring the lights back on. Xcel officials said they are also evaluating the need for a second public safety power shutoff this week -- starting at 5 a.m. Friday, when wind speeds are expected to reach hurricane or near-hur...
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Data Breach Fallout Leaves Douglas County Without Full Emergency Alert Coverage As Fire Danger Rises
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

Data Breach Fallout Leaves Douglas County Without Full Emergency Alert Coverage As Fire Danger Rises

By Maggie Bryan | Denver7 The Douglas County Sheriff says his office is switching to Rave Alert to notify residents about local emergencies. The sheriff's office ended its contract with CodeRED last month after a data breach. CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — As high fire danger and strong winds are expected along the Front Range on Wednesday, a critical resource used to alert Douglas County residents to emergencies, such as fire evacuations, is in the midst of a transition. Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said his office signed a new contract to provide emergency alerts through Rave Alert, an emergency alert system owned by Motorola. In November, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) terminated its contract with CodeRED, an emergency alert system, after the company ex...
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