Local Wildfire Mitigation Leaders Receive National Awards
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DOLORES, Colo. – Firewise of Southwest Colorado and Judy Winzell (Falls Creek Ranch) have received national recognition for their outstanding impacts in wildfire preparedness and mitigation. Firewise of Southwest Colorado is the recipient of a Wildfire Mitigation Innovation Award - recognizing their effort to directly reduce wildfire hazards in their community. Judy Winzell is the recipient of a Community Wildfire Preparedness Pioneer Award – recognizing her achievements and commitment to get neighbors and fellow citizens actively engaged with their fire department.
Firewise of Southwest Colorado and Ms. Winzell will be honored at a local recognition ceremony on March 24, 2015 at the Public Lands Center in Durango beginning at 4:30 p.m. Both will also be honored at the IAFC Wildland Urban Interface Conference in Reno, NV on March 25, 2015.
The National Association of State Foresters states that “(t)hese awards are designed to recognize outstanding service in wildfire preparedness and safety across a broad spectrum of activities and among a variety of individuals and organizations. By honoring their achievements, the award sponsors also seek to increase public recognition and awareness of the value of wildfire mitigation efforts.”
Established in 2014, in response to an overwhelming number of great wildfire mitigation program efforts across the nation, the Wildfire Mitigation Awards are the highest national honor one can receive for outstanding work and significant program impact in wildfire preparedness and mitigation. The Wildfire Mitigation Awards are jointly sponsored by the National Associations of State Foresters (NASF), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the USDA Forest Service.
Other award winners in western Colorado include West Region Wildfire Council (Wildfire Mitigation Innovation Award) and Chris Barth (Fire Adapted Communities Fire Service Leadership Award). For more information on all of the award winners, please visithttp://www.stateforesters.org/partnership-announces-inaugural-wildfire-mitigation-awardees.
For information on wildfires and restrictions in the area, call the Southwest District Fire Management Information line (970-240-1070), visit the Durango Dispatch website (https://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/dispatch_centers/r2drc/), or follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/SWD_Fire) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/BLMMontroseFireUnit).
The Southwest District Fire Management program covers the BLM Colorado’s Southwest District and the Gunnison Field Office (BLM), the Uncompahgre Field Office (BLM), and Tres Rios Field Office (BLM) in the Colorado counties of Archuleta, Conejos, Delta, Dolores, Gunnison, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mesa, Mineral, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, Rio Grande, Saguache, San Juan and San Miguel.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.