Draft state wildfire resiliency code and map would cover most of Larimer County; commissioners weigh timeline and enforcement

Eric Fried, Larimer County building official, briefed the Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 24 about the draft Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code and the state’s draft wildfire hazard map, outlining key building and site‑management changes and a compressed timeline for adoption.

Fried said Senate Bill 23‑166 established the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code Board and directed the board to draft a model code and a statewide wildland‑urban interface (WUI) hazard map. Fried told commissioners the board must publish a final state code by July 1, and governing bodies are required to adopt the state code or something stronger within three months after publication, with an effective date no later than Jan. 1, 2026.

Staff displayed the draft hazard map and said the state’s mapping expands the wildfire hazard area from the foothills into much of the county’s grasslands; large portions of Larimer County fall into the map’s medium and high categories. Fried said the board combined the map’s medium and high zones into a single set of higher‑ stringency requirements in the draft model code, while low areas would be subject to less stringent measures.