In partnership with the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) and funded through the competitive Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Grant Program, this large-scale mitigation project is creating a 17-mile shaded fuel break along Colorado’s Highway 12 corridor — the only evacuation route for residents of the Cuchara Valley.
Over 500 acres of state and private forested land are being treated to reduce hazardous fuels, improve firefighter access, and protect lives, water supplies, and infrastructure from future wildfires. This work builds on over 8 years of local mitigation efforts and directly supports over 700 homes in the region.
Key treatments include:
- Mechanical thinning and mastication of dense overgrowth along the CDOT right-of-way
- Creation of defensible space around ~120 homes within the fuel break zone
- Removal of 90% of ladder fuels and spacing tree crowns per CSFS guidelines
- Slash management and biomass reuse through local firewood and energy programs
About the WUI Grant Program
The Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Grant Program is a federal initiative that funds wildfire mitigation projects where homes and forests meet. Administered in the West by the Council of Western State Foresters in coordination with the USDA Forest Service and state forestry agencies like CSFS, this competitive program supports:
- Hazardous fuels reduction
- Wildfire prevention education
- Restoration of fire-adapted ecosystems
- Long-term community resilience
The Protect Cuchara Valley project was awarded $300,000 in WUI funds and matched with $300,000 in cash, volunteer time, and partner contributions.