CDOT to Begin Hwy 72 Roadside Fuels Mitigation

By Cork Rech, CCCFPD CWPP Implementation Committee

Since the new Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) was published last May, our team has been fielding requests for answers to several evacuation safety questions. Let me recap some here:

Q: Did our CWPP really show non-survivable evacuation routes in CCC?

A: Yes. Many roads throughout the Coal Creek Canyon Fire Protection District (CCCFPD) were found to be potentially non-survivable in the event of an active fire. Look at the maps on pages 233-234 of the CWPP to see where these roads are. (Go to CoalCreekCWPP.org to find the CWPP.)

Q: What makes an evacuation route “non-survivable?”

A: The CWPP utilized fire behavior predictions to identify road segments that could experience non-survivable conditions during a wildfire. Non-survivable roadways are identified as portions of roads adjacent to areas with predicted flame lengths greater than 8 feet. Drivers stopped or trapped on these roadways could have a low chance of survival due to radiant heat emitted from fires of this intensity. Firefighters relate flame lengths to tactical decisions and direct attack of a flaming front is no longer feasible once flame lengths exceed 8 feet due to the intensity of heat output. Flames greater than 8 feet could make roads impassable and cut off both responding fire equipment and residents’ vehicles from egress routes. Under moderate fire weather conditions, 10% of the roads in CCCFPD could experience non-survivable conditions, and this percentage rises to 44% under extreme fire weather conditions. Contact your CWPP Community Ambassador for guidance on making roads survivable in your Plan Unit. 

Q: Have sections of CO Hwy 72 been found to be non-survivable in an active wildfire?

A: Yes. On those same CWPP maps you will see that many sections of Hwy 72 are marked, as are many roads within the community Plan Units. The sections on Hwy 72 are of concern as many of us will likely be directed to the highway in an emergency evacuation scenario.

Q: What does the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) plan to do about this risk to Coal Creek Canyon residents and visitors evacuating from wildfire?

A: CDOT is planning a project for roadside fuels mitigation within their right-of-way for spring/summer of this year. A CDOT representative served on the Core Team when we were writing the CWPP, so the state is aware of the danger presented by the hazardous sections of the highway.

Q: Why did it take so long for CDOT to take action?

A: This roadside clearing project takes a lot of planning, with a working group which includes CDOT, United Power, Colorado State Forest Service, CCCFPD CWPP Implementation Committee, and other agencies. We’ve spent the winter working on the feasibility of the risk mitigation plan and are now seeking input from private landowners with properties which border the Hwy 72 right-of-way. (If you are one of these landowners, please email us your contact information at CWPPforCCC@gmail.com)

Q: Where is this roadside fuels mitigation project located?

A: The Phase 1 Project will concentrate on a about 1.4 miles, which the CWPP identified as the most hazardous in the Fire District. This stretch of road is just before mile marker 20 to about 1/3 of a mile past mile marker 21. It is the section of Hwy 72 which touches the Plan Units of Miramonte, Copperdale, Wondervu, and Camp Eden. We chose to start there because it is the main evacuation route through the densest housing in the District, including the evacuation route for Coal Creek Heights.

We advise all residents to get familiar with the wildfire risk mitigation recommendations in the CWPP. Email us at CWPPforCCC@gmail.com for more information.