| Summary |
Wildfire Matters Review Committee. The bill requires the
Colorado state forest service (forest service) to convene a working group
(working group) that includes the division of fire prevention and control
in the department of public safety (DFPC) and the United States forest
service (USFS), and that may include other local, state, or federal partners
and entities engaged in wildfire risk mitigation in the wildland-urban
interface (WUI).
The working group shall consider how best to conduct enhanced
wildfire awareness month outreach campaigns in 2023 and 2024, as well
as other outreach efforts that inform and motivate residents in the WUI
to engage in more wildfire risk mitigation. The working group's
considerations also include how best to distribute educational resources
and information and which methods of outreach are most effective in
reaching the targeted audience.
After considering feedback from the working group, and subject
to available appropriations, the forest service shall implement an
enhanced wildfire awareness month outreach campaign in conjunction
with the DFPC and the USFS in 2023 and 2024, as well as other outreach
efforts in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 state fiscal years.
In implementing an enhanced wildfire awareness month outreach
campaign and other outreach efforts, the forest service may, subject to
available appropriations:
•
Develop or contract for the development or placement of
marketing and educational materials, including videos,
direct mail, social media, print media, television and radio
spots, and billboards;
•
Conduct or contract for educational events targeted to
residents in the WUI;
•
Retain consultants, as necessary, to implement all or part of
an outreach campaign, as well as other outreach efforts;
•
Make enhancements to the forest service's web-based
clearinghouse for technical assistance and funding
resources and coordinate with working group partners and
other entities to provide links to web-based educational
resources and information; and
•
Secure necessary staff to implement the outreach efforts.
The bill requires the state forester to report to the wildfire matters
review committee during the 2023 and 2024 legislative interims
concerning the outreach efforts implemented pursuant to the bill,
including the amount and use of money appropriated for outreach efforts
and the impact of those efforts in increasing awareness of wildfire risk
mitigation in the WUI.
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