Boulder County Commissioners recently approved more than $1.3 million in Strategic Fuels Mitigation Grant (SFMG) awards, matched by more than $1.6 million from partner agencies.

Together, this funding will support wildfire mitigation across nearly 675 high-risk forest and grassland acres—bringing the total area planned for treatment through the SFMG program to 3,475 acres.

The Spring 2026 projects reflect the different approaches needed to create more fire-adapted communities and landscapes, from forest restoration and fuels reduction to targeted grazing:

• Boulder Valley Conservation District: Dry Gulch Forestry Project and YMCA Camp Tumbleson Lake Forestry Project 🌲
• The Watershed Center: Conifer Hill Community Defense Project 🏡
• Town of Superior: Grazing Mitigation Program 🐐

These projects demonstrate what is possible when homeowners, local government, community organizations, and fuels mitigation practitioners work together. Communities across Boulder County are taking meaningful steps to reduce wildfire risk and create safer, more resilient places to call home.

The application window is still open for Wildfire Partners' General Rebate Program.

Junk your junipers, OR perform one or more of the other eligible mitigation tasks to make your Boulder County home more wildfire resilient.

Apply to the program by October 8th. This is the first step which verfies that you live in Boulder County and are eligible to participate.

Complete the eligible mitigation(s) and submit before and after photos, receipts, and time logs into your rebate portal by October 29th.

Mountain pine beetle activity is increasing in parts of Colorado, but the current Front Range outbreak is not yet considered epidemic. Continued activity is expected during 2026 and 2027.

What should landowners do?

🪲Monitor pine trees closely, especially throughout August.

🪲Look for signs of beetle attack, including pitch tubes, boring dust, fading needles, and woodpecker activity.

🪲Have suspect trees evaluated by a qualified forestry professional or arborist.

🪲Properly remove and dispose of infested trees when recommended.

🪲Avoid transporting infested firewood.

🪲Plan defensible space and thinning work for cooler months when possible.

🪲Promptly manage slash and large stems if summer mitigation is necessary.

🪲Maintain healthy, diverse forest stands through appropriate long-term management.

Wildfire Partners refers to the Colorado State Forest Service as our mountain pine beetle experts. Their Mountain Pine Beetle resources provide current information, maps, and management guidance for Colorado landowners. T

The following conversations have been taking place in 2026...

• "It's too hot."
• "It's too dry."
• "How will this affect our wildfire season, which is all-year long?"

A recently published study from fire and climate scientists looked at over twenty years of wildfire activity in the US. Read the article to help answer these questions.