April 29, 2015 VOLU M E 5 0 | I S S UE 1 7 | 7 5 ¢
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Fire season now a reality throughout year Firefighters, residents must always be on alert for wildfire’s threat By Rob Carrigan
rcarrigan@colorado communtymedia.com With 60 square miles of combustible terrain under his organization’s watch, and more and more people living in the wildland/urban interface, the question to the answer of wildfire, is not if, but when? Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Marshal John Vincent knows that. The key is, he says, to become a fireadapted community. And we do that by planning. “We live on a fire planet,” explained Vincent at a recent Firewise presentation on how to protect homes from wildfire and save firefighters lives at Tri-Lakes United Methodist Church, 20256 Hunting Downs Way, in the Kings Deer area. “What we need to do is to prepare so we can have fire, but without it becoming catastrophic, as the Black Forest Fire became in less than 30 minutes.” Failure to do so is not an option. “By not mitigating, you are putting my life in danger,” he said. He advocates communities such as our own, becoming Firewise. And creat-
Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Marshal John Vincent explains how to protect homes from wildfire and save firefighters lives at Tri-Lakes United Methodist Church, 20256 Hunting Downs Way, in the Kings Deer area. Photo by Rob Carrigan ing your own personal evacuation plan with the help of information and tools like “Ready, Set, Go” with the aim of saving lives and property through advanced planning. “Firewise Communities is a national program that helps communities take action to reduce their risk before a wildfire starts. As fire departments are challenged to do more to respond to such issues as
global terrorism, hazardous materials threats, and wildland fires, residents and volunteers can help them reach their safety goals while allowing the first responders to train for and respond to emergencies,” says material form National Fire Protection Association’s Firewise Communities. Here on the Front Range, we are particularly susceptible.
“Fire is, and always has been, a natural part of the beautiful area where we have chosen to live,” notes Ready, Set, Go! “Wildfires, fueled by build-up of dry vegetation and driven by hot, dry winds, are extremely dangerous and almost impossible to control. Many residents have built their homes and landscaped without fully understanding the impact a fire could have on
them.” “We have 90 miles of fuel here. We need to get ahead of the curve, after 120 years of fuel preservation,” Vincent said, and mitigation extremely important. “None of us have seen natural forests.” “Become part of the solution by developing strategies and becoming Firewise Communities,” he said. Citizen participation is increasingly important in making our nation and communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to emergencies of all kinds, says info from Firewise Communities. “Residents and volunteers in communities at risk from wildfire have a unique opportunity to create Fire Wise Communities.” Vincent says he, and other organizations such as Firewise Communities, local departments, home owners associations, all should be able to help develop plans. “That’s why the most important person protecting your life and property is you. With advance planning and preparation, you can dramatically increase your safety and survivability of your property.”
MORE TO SEE Check out the expanded fire-related coverage on page 8
Crews begin construction POSTAL ADDRESS
$13M project includes roundabout at Baptist Road and Old Denver By Rob Carrigan rcarrigan@colorado communitymedia.com
TRI-LAKES TRIBUNE (USPS 418-960)
OFFICE: 325 Second Street, Suite R Monument, CO 80132 PHONE: 719-687-3006 A legal newspaper of general circulation in El Paso County, Colorado, the Tri-Lakes Tribune is published weekly on Wednesday by Colorado Community Media, 1200 E. Highway 24, Woodland Park, CO 80863. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT MONUMENT, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 11 a.m. Legal: Thurs. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 10 a.m. GE T SOCI AL WITH US
P LE A S E R ECYC L E T H I S C O PY
Crews from CH2M HILL began work in the last few weeks of an improvement project that will include construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Old Denver Highway and Baptist Road. Additionally, the rail crossing will be upgraded and the $13 million-plus project also includes repositioning and expanding the parking lot and improving the park at Santa Fe Trail, said Todd Nielsen of CH2M HILL last week. Walk pathways for the Santa Fe Regional Trail are part of the construction plans and equipment and teams were working on site work last week. Construction of the Baptist Road West project (Interstate 25 off ramps to Forest Lakes Drive) began on schedule in early April. “This project will construct a grade separated crossing over the railroad tracks and include a roundabout at the Old Denver Highway/Baptist Road/Woodcarver Lane intersection. The entrance to the Sante Fe Trail head will be relocated to the north to make room for the roundabout. All roads will be kept open with local site detours and lane shifts provided around all construction. This project is expected to take approximately 15 months to complete,” according to information from El Paso County. “In addition to the Pike Peak Rural Transportation Authority funding, this project has also received a $1,000,000 Energy Impact Assistance Grant from Department of Local Affairs and a $750,000 contribution from the Baptist Road RTA,” county information says. The project is budgeted for $13,155,970 and expected to be completed in September of 2015.
The $13 million project includes repositioning and expanding the parking lot and improving the park at Santa Fe Trail. Photos by Rob Carrigan
Crews from CH2MHILL begin construction of an improvement project that will include construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Old Denver Highway and Baptist Road.