Volunteers reduce fire risk at RFL school

Red Feather Lakes residents will see a buzz of activity around the elementary school on April 14 and 16 when employees and volunteers work together to help protect the school from wildfires.

On April 14 and 16, the American Red Cross-Centennial Chapter, AmeriCorps NCCC, Boy Scouts-Longs Peak Council, Colorado State Forest Service, Fire Ready, Front Range Community College, Larimer County and the Red Feather Lakes Fire Department will team up to help create defensible space around Red Feather Lakes Elementary School.

The project is being done under the auspices of the Front Range Fuels Treatment Partnership, an interagency program that reduces wildland fire risks through sustained fuels treatments.

In March, CSFS forester Denise White and Tony Simons, Larimer County wildfire safety specialist, marked trees that will be removed. Tree cutting will occur from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 14.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 16, Boy Scouts will collect the wood and sell it to raise funds. AmeriCorps members will remove the slash and transport it to access roads where Fire Ready will chip the material at no cost to the community.

"We are pleased to have so many dedicated volunteers and organizations involved in this effort, which is the first of many wildfire and hazard mitigation projects planned in the Red Feather Lakes community," said Cris Meeks, assistant chief-medical for the RFL Volunteer Fire Department. "We especially want to thank the trustees of the Mary Quaintance Trust for supporting this project, which is occurring on the trust's property. This project will help protect the school from wildfire and show residents in the community how visually pleasing a less-crowded forest landscape can be."

As a safety precaution, residents are encouraged to stay on the roadside on April 14 to observe tree cutting. On April 16, residents are encouraged to stop by to see the site and talk to volunteers and forestry experts about the project.

For more information call Kim Schleppy at 218-0866 or e-mail kimschleppy@colostate.edu.