Know Your Risks and Make Your Plans: Wildfire and Flood Season is Here
March 17-22, 2013 is Wildfire and Flood Awareness Week in Colorado. Partnering in the effort to prepare the Colorado community are the following agencies:- National Weather Service Forecast Offices in Boulder, Pueblo, Grand Junction and Goodland
- Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control
- Colorado State Forest Service
- FEMA Region VIII
- Colorado Department of National Resources - Colorado Water Conservation Board
Each day information will be shared by these agencies on their social media and web sites. COEmergency will highlight the information shared by many of the agencies here on our site each day so check back daily for a new preparedness or safety tip.
The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) challenges each of our readers to register for Emergency Alert Notifications from the county they live in before the end of the week. And, safer yet do it today. Simply click on the Info Sources Page of COEmergency and scroll down the page until you find your county and click on the Alert link. It takes less than two minutes. Do it today.
National Weather Service Overview of Wildfire and Flood Awareness Week
Wildfire and Flood Season is Approaching. Know your risks and make your Plans.
The National Weather Service wants everyone to be part of a Weather Ready Nation. Colorado has more than its fair share of floods, flash flood and wildfires. You should be Weather Ready and know how to stay safe when floods and wildfires affect your area.
The National Weather Service and the Colorado DHSEM have coordinated this week, March 17th-23rd, as Colorado Wildfire and Flood Awareness Week. Now is the time to learn more about floods and wildfire in Colorado and develop your plans. Its personal. Make your flood and wildfire preparedness plans now.
Flood prone areas have been identified in 268 cities and towns and in all of the 64 counties of Colorado. Over 250,000 people live in floodplains in Colorado. There are estimated to be 65,000 homes and 15,000 commercial, industrial and business structures in identified floodplains. There are likely many more structures located within unmapped flood hazard areas. The value of the property, structures and contents located in the identified floodplains is estimated to be nearly $15 billion.
Floods have killed nearly 500 people in Colorado since the turn of the 20th Century and caused an estimated $5 billion in damages.
On average 2500 wildfires occur across Colorado each year. In 2012, six people were killed when wildfires occurred in the wildland urban interface (WUI).
The National Weather Service Forecast Offices which serve Colorado will issue a series of public information statements during this Wildfire and Flood Awareness Week covering the following topics:
- Sunday: Introduction to the Week
- Monday: Watches and Warnings
- Tuesday: River Floods
- Wednesday: Flash Floods
- Thursday: Fire Forecasts, Watches and Warnings
- Friday: Wildfire Safety and Mitigation
- Saturday: Review of the Week
More information on floods and wildfires is available at your local National Weather Service web sites:
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/DENVER NWS Denver Web Site
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PUEBLO NWS Pueblo Web Site
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GOODLAND NWS Goodland Web Site
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GJT NWS Grand Junction Web Site
