Homeowners Fire Abatement Recommended

Carol Walker Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information (RMIIA) Association, recommends that homeowners use scientifically proven fire abatement techniques to protect their homes and keep their insurance rates low. In a presentation to the Mountain Pine Beetle Task Force, Walker commented that the insurance industry is aware of the potential loss of private property if the forest burns. As a stakeholder in the area, insurance agents are trained to help property owners, asses the danger to their homes and create solutions that will allow for renewal and new policies to be issued at affordable rates.

Tom Estes owner of Preventative Tree Spraying, estimates a 10 fold infestation rate in this years pine beetle flight over the previous year. Beetles are hitting trees less than 2 inches in diameter, previously thought to be an unsafe habitat for the insect. Signs of mountain pine beetles are also being seen in ponderosa and fir trees in addition to lodgepole pines. Estes recommended the cutting infected trees now as the best defense against spread of beetles next summer. The path of the beetle seems headed toward Breckenridge where large areas of un-infected trees still exist, and over the divide to front range counties.

County Commissioner Bob French reported on a meeting last week to draft a unified congressional  pine beetle bill. Facilitated by Colorado Counties, Inc. (CCI)  and Northwest Council of Governments
( NWCOG) the meeting included staff from all congressional delegations, county officials, and other stakeholders in pine beetle infected communities. The meeting assessed the legislation previously submitted by various legislators in an effort to draft a bi-partisan bill that would have wide support.

The next meeting of the Mountain Pine Beetle Task force will be held on October 19th at the Lake Dillon Best Western Hotel in Frisco at 7:30 am. The meetings are open and the public is encouraged to attend.

 
Carol Walker of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association explains how the insurance industry is dealing with increasing  forest fire threat.

 
First time attendee Mark Chalkey gets first hand information from local tree spraying expert Tom Estes.

 
Summit County Commissioner Bob French is concerned with recent fire risk assessments.

 
Chris Jennings of CSU who has been a frequent contributor to the task force, thanks other members for their approach to the problem. Chris will be missed after he moves to Oregon next month.