DENVER – Firefighters said Tuesday they expect another average or below-average wildfire season in Colorado in 2016 – the third mild year in a row.
But even an average year can bring thousands of wildfires, he said, and a dry spell could make things worse.
Paul Cooke, Colorado’s director of fire prevention, said people should not take the moderate fire outlook for granted.
“I worry,” Cooke said. “The first line of defense on wildfires is the homeowner, and when you’re not experiencing that wildfire, you do forget. So, it’s important that all of us ... get a unified message out there that now is the best time to start making plans.”
The fire outlook is based on computer models that use weather conditions and forecasts, history and other factors.
Colorado enters this season after a wet winter, with the spring snowpack at 90 to 110 percent of average over much of the state as of Tuesday. South and Southwest Colorado were the exception, with the snowpack at 77 to 82 percent.
About a quarter of the state is abnormally dry, but none of it is in drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The previous two fire seasons were comparatively easy for the state, averaging about 3,600 fires burning a total of about 39 square miles per year.
But Colorado endured more than 4,900 fires on 348 square miles in 2013. They included the Black Forest Fire outside Colorado Springs, which destroyed 488 homes and killed two people.
In 2012, more than 6,100 fires charred about 666 square miles. The Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs destroyed 344 homes that year and also killed two people.
This will be the second season the state has used two aircraft equipped with infrared cameras designed to find small blazes before they explode.
The planes flew 25 missions and spotted 40 fires last summer, said Gov. John Hickenlooper. They also were used on search-and-rescue missions.
Legislation was passed last year that implements technology to predict the direction and intensity of wildfires. It was sponsored by Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango.
The technology uses weather forecasting to recognize that disasters unfold as they relate to the atmosphere. It was developed by the Boulder-based National Center for Atmospheric Research. The Legislature agreed last year to secure $600,000 to launch the program.
Journal Staff Writer Peter Marcus contributed to this report.
