Jefferson County proclaims May 2025 Wildfire Awareness Month; sheriff announces new wildland fire investments

On May 13, 2025, the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners proclaimed May 2025 Wildfire Awareness Month and reiterated county efforts to reduce wildfire risk, while Sheriff Marinelli announced forthcoming investments in a countywide wildland fire management program.

The proclamation and remarks followed commissioners’ statements that Jefferson County faces unusually high wildfire exposure. ‘‘Jefferson County has a greater risk of wildfire than 98% of counties in The United States and the second highest wildfire risk of all counties in Colorado,’’ Commissioner Leslie Dahlkemper said, citing recent statewide data and local conditions.

The county framed the proclamation as part of broader preparedness and mitigation work. Commissioner Andy Kerr told the audience, "While May is wildfire awareness month, the danger of wildfire is now year round. There is no longer a fire season," and urged residents to sign up for county alerts and take steps to reduce risk. Sheriff Marinelli reiterated the sheriff’s role in fire response, saying, "According to state statute, the, sheriff of every county is the fire marshal," and urged residents, "don't wait, evacuate," if they feel unsafe during an incident.

Commissioners and staff pointed to several specific items discussed at the meeting and in recent county work: an updated Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) intended to guide mitigation, an expanded definition of the wildland‑urban interface to help attract grant funding for homeowner defensible‑space work, and recognition of community wildfire ambassadors who provide neighborhood education. The county also referenced recent incidents and trends, noting more than 1,100,000 acres burned statewide from 2020 to 2023 and citing the Quarry Fire in 2024 as a local example that led to evacuations and heavy resource needs.

Sheriff Marinelli said the sheriff’s office, with the support of the commissioners, will make "new investments in a comprehensive wildland fire management program in the coming months." According to Marinelli, those investments are intended to increase capacity for proactive preparedness, facilitate safe and effective evacuation routes, and increase support for local fire protection districts and departments during response.

Officials urged residents to take specific preparedness steps: register for Lookout Alert (the county’s emergency notification system), assemble a go bag, create defensible space around homes, and pursue home hardening measures. The sheriff’s office also referenced the county’s "Be Your Own Hero" campaign materials as a resource for household preparedness.

Commissioner Dahlkemper thanked local fire chiefs, the sheriff’s office, the county open‑space division and other partner agencies for work on mitigation and forest health. She also noted that wildfire risk is concentrated in higher‑elevation, forested areas such as Evergreen and Conifer, but warned that wildfires can affect urban and suburban locations as well.

County leaders said legislative work on homeowners insurance during the recent session did not fully succeed: "Two of the three bills that we focused on and advocated for did not win approval in the legislature," Dahlkemper said, and the county will continue to pursue strategies to address insurance costs for residents.

The board formally adopted the proclamation declaring May 2025 as Wildfire Awareness Month in Jefferson County and encouraged residents to use county resources and partner with local fire districts on mitigation and preparedness.

The county plans further briefings and coordination on grant opportunities, CWPP implementation, and the sheriff’s announced program investments in the months ahead.