KREX May 27, 2025-

On Tuesday, the Colorado West Land Trust (CWLT) announced the launch of a major wildfire mitigation project in Plateau Valley in partnership with the Grand Mesa Watershed Resiliency Partnership in August. A grant from the Colorado Youth Corps Association and Great Outdoors Colorado funds the project.

The project will focus on thinning overgrown vegetation and reducing hazardous fuels on conserved properties near the National Forest land on top of the Grand Mesa. Since private lands make up more than 60% of Colorado’s landscape, the CWLT will focus on thinning and clearing brush on these properties. The effort will safeguard the nearby canal and its water, protect watershed values and reduce the threat of fast-moving wildfires from spreading.

“Private lands like those in Plateau Valley are vital to our collective wildfire resilience,” said Hallie Flynn, a member of the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS). “In areas where public and private lands are closely connected, proactive mitigation on private property helps reduce risk across the entire landscape. While our work supports overall forest and watershed health, the most effective actions to prevent home loss start within the Home Ignition Zone. As a stewardship agency, the CSFS is focused on helping landowners take practical steps to protect what matters, now and for future generations.”

The project is part of a bigger, collaborative strategy to improve wildfire resilience across Western Colorado.

“Healthy forests and resilient watersheds go hand in hand,” said CWLT Conservation Manager David Varner. “We’re proud to work with our local partners to protect both through proactive wildfire mitigation.”

By Breana Sinclair, read KREX story here