The proposed bill aims to enhance Colorado's wildfire prevention and mitigation efforts by focusing on youth engagement in forestry and bolstering firefighter training and recruitment.
Key Provisions:
Youth Outreach and Education:
Implementation Period: From the 2025-26 to the 2027-28 fiscal years, the Colorado Cooperative Extension Service is authorized to expand and implement programs recommended by the Colorado Forest Health Council.
Program Components:
4-H Program Expansion: Integrate forest health topics into existing 4-H curricula to educate youth about forestry and natural resource management.
Collaborative Partnerships: Work with industry stakeholders, educational institutions, conservation districts, the Colorado State Forest Service, and the Division of Fire Prevention and Control to facilitate career readiness in forest health sectors.
Educational Support: Provide guidance to youth pursuing 2- and 4-year degrees or certifications in forest health disciplines.
Certification Opportunities: Offer industry partnerships and scholarships for obtaining relevant certifications, such as wildland fire or chainsaw operation.
Internship Programs: Develop paid summer internships for high school students, potentially offering academic credit, and provide mentorship-driven internships for young adults in forest health careers.
Reporting Requirements: The Extension Service must annually report on the implementation and outcomes of these programs to the Department of Natural Resources and the relevant legislative committees.
Firefighter Training and Recruitment:
Grant Funding: Authorize the Division of Fire Prevention and Control to utilize funds from the Local Firefighter Safety and Disease Prevention Fund to provide need-based grants. These grants will cover costs associated with firefighter certification courses, materials, instructors, and testing.
Train-the-Trainer Program: Subject to legislative appropriations, establish a program to ensure instructors deliver a consistent curriculum across all grant-funded certification classes.
Statewide Outreach Initiative: Develop a comprehensive program to promote fire service careers, including creating marketing materials aimed at youth, establishing an online portal for career resources, and leveraging social media for outreach.
By implementing these measures, the bill seeks to cultivate a well-prepared workforce in forestry and fire prevention, thereby enhancing Colorado's resilience against wildfires.
Summary
Wildfire Matters Review Committee.Section 1 of the bill
authorizes the Colorado cooperative extension service (extension) to expand and implement outreach programs and initiatives recommended by the Colorado forest health council for the purpose of increasing awareness of and interest in areas of forestry, wildland fire, and natural resources (forest health) in youth and young adults. The outreach programs and initiatives may be implemented for the 2025-26 state fiscal year through the 2027-28 state fiscal year and may include, in part:
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The expansion of 4-H programs and curricula in forest health;
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Partnerships with the forest health industry, local school districts, higher education institutions, conservation districts, the Colorado state forest service, the division of fire prevention and control in the department of public safety (division), and others to facilitate career and workforce readiness and entry into forest health careers;
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Outreach and support to youth and young adults relating to 2- and 4-year programs and certificates in forest health;
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Industry partnerships and scholarships for forest health certifications, such as wildland fire or chain saw certifications;
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Paid natural resources summer internships focused on forestry for high school students, including the potential to earn high school credit for completing the internship; and
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Paid internships in forest health careers offered by the extension, with mentoring of young adults by the extension, Colorado state university, the Colorado state forest service, and the division.
The bill requires the extension to report annually to the department
of natural resources and the house of representatives agriculture, water, and natural resources committee and the senate agriculture and natural resources committee on the implementation and outcomes of the outreach programs and initiatives. Section 2 authorizes the division to use money in the local
firefighter safety and disease prevention fund to:
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Provide need-based grants to fire service governing bodies and volunteer fire departments for the cost of certain firefighter certification courses, course materials, textbooks, instructors, and written testing and to provide fire instructor I or equivalent certification for instructors who want to participate in a train-the-trainer program created by the division;
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Subject to appropriations by the general assembly, create a train-the-trainer program to ensure that all instructors providing grant-funded certification classes described in the bill teach a consistent curriculum; and
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Subject to appropriations by the general assembly, create a statewide outreach program to promote fire service careers, including marketing materials targeted to youth, an online portal to access career pathways and resources, and marketing materials that include social media.
