Under the county's Site Plan Review regulations for all new development, applications for building permits include an assessment of the wildfire hazards for the property. A goal of the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan is to reduce loss of life and property from natural hazards such as wildfires. The wildfire chapter of the new Natural Hazards element of the Plan includes the objectives of hazard identification and location as well as mitigating the hazards. The GIS Division will store, periodically update the master data base, and periodically produce updated maps. This includes hiring a full time wildfire administrator, a GIS technician, a part-time secretary, and GIS hardware and software.
Cooperation exists with much enthusiasm.
People are responding, fire districts are anxiously awaiting their turn to participate, everyone is learning, and planning is happening due to the information and communication available. People are looking at their own backyards instead of their neighbors and are starting to see that what they do on their own property can make a difference. The national symposium was on searching for solutions for wildfires in the urban wildland interface.