Governor John Hickenlooper has issued an emergency disaster declaration for the burn area from last September’s Four Mile Canyon fire west of Boulder.
The Governor’s executive order declaring a disaster emergency comes amid growing concerns of flood risks in the area in and around the fire; a common occurrence in the wake of large fires.
The blaze last fall destroyed some 165 homes and charred more than 6,000 acres of rugged steep terrain. In the Four Mile Canyon area, most of the terrain has been stripped of all vegetation, therefore increasing the risk of debris flow and destructive flooding, according to the US Geological Survey.
The governor’s executive order mandates that planned aerial distribution of mulch and re-seeding occur as soon as possible. Crews will have to do that by air due to the extremities of the terrain. The order also stipulates that no state money will be used, but rather federal funding from the US Department of Agriculture.
