GOLDEN GATE CANYON - The Golden Gate Fire Protection District hosted a data gathering event for the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) on March 31, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the Grange. Residents filled the Grange Hall.

Upon entering, residents signed in and received a name tag. They were then encouraged to find their home. A Main map showed the entire Golden Gate Fire Protection area, along with a chart showing the phases of the CWPP process.

Tables manned by firefighters were set up along the walls. The middle of the floor featured tables will enlargements of detailed maps. Morgan Hampden presided at a table where residents could express their concerns.

At another table, Firefighter Peter Maher had cups holding beans. Residents could place the beans into jars expressing priorities such as roadway treatment, landscape scale, and homeowner mitigation.

Evan Briscoe, the lead team member with Ember Alliance, which leads the study, said they are halfway through with the wildfire risk analysis. They are now gathering background for action planning.

They want to find out what is valuable to the community, Briscoe said. That will have an impact on their decisions. The process will be finished in late September or early October.

According to the Golden Gate website, “This Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) was developed for the Golden Gate Fire Protection District with guidance and support from Jefferson County Division of Emergency Management, Colorado State Forest Service and the United States Forest Service.

“The CWPP was developed according to the guidelines set forth by Healthy Forest Restoration Act (2003) and the Colorado State Forest Service - Minimum Standards for Community Wildfire Protection Plans (November, 2009). This CWPP supplements the Jefferson County Annual Operating Plan and the Jefferson County Fire Plan.

“The Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is a strategic plan that identifies specific wildland fire risks facing communities and neighborhoods and provides prioritized mitigation recommendations designed to reduce those risks. Once the CWPP is finalized and adopted, it is the responsibility of the community or neighborhood to move forward and implement the action items.

“This may require further planning at the project level, acquisition of funds, or simply motivating individual homeowners. This CWPP is not a legal document. There is no legal requirement to implement the recommendations herein. However, treatments on private land may require compliance with county land use codes, building codes, and local covenants.

“Treatments on public lands will be carried out by appropriate agencies and may be subject to federal, state, and county policies and procedures, such as adherence to the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) and National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA).”

Golden Gate resident John Neer said, “This is an awakening. People are finally realizing the impact of wildfires. It is not a question of whether we have a wildfire, but when.”

For more information, go to https:// MAIN - Golden Gate Fire Protection District.