Emergency Vehicle Staging & Turnaround

Mitigation Demonstration

Improved Evacuation

The Hidden Park Project was proposed by the Crystal Lakes Open Space Conservancy Group as a step toward implementing the Crystal Lakes Community Wildfire Protection Plan recommendations. Working with the CLRRA, we applied to the Larimer County Community Mitigation Grant Program and were awarded a $10,000 grant that allows us to contract construction of this important project during the summer of 2023. GMC and CWPP Mitigation Team volunteers will help with hauling and mitigation in order to keep costs at a minimum. Fred Barlow of Red Feather Excavation was awarded the contract.

Scope of Hidden Park Project:

Hidden Park will serve as a demonstration project, illustrating how two primary CWPP recommendations will impact the community. The project is a much-needed turnaround for emergency vehicles and staging area for fire crews,and demonstrates how the ambiance of the community will not suffer significant impact by implementing CWPP recommendations. Home Ignition Zones mitigation concepts will be demonstrated through the removal of dead wood, slash, and a dense lodgepole stand, considerably reducing fuel in a critical evacuation area. The site also provides access to the trail system in the community and is adjacent to the Crystal Lakes Water and Sewer lot.
In CWPP implementation meetings, mitigating tree encroachment along our
roadways has been met with property owner concerns. This demonstration project will address these concerns. The project is a first step toward implementing CWPP recommendations to create pull-offs or turnaround areas along various roadways to enhance the safety and mobility of wildland fire crews and assist in community evacuation as many roads in the subdivision are one lane. These recommendations were also requested by the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office Initial Attack Module.

The demonstration site is 0.877 acres; however, the impact from this project will affect 1,564 lot owners within the almost 5,000 acres in the subdivision. CLRRA has been declared at high risk of sustaining immeasurable impact from a wildfire by the USFS. CLRRA is over 50% buildout with property values at over $906,935,000. The demonstration site will serve an educational purpose in encouraging lot owners to adopt HIZ defensible space and mitigation on their lots, as the community strives to be a Fire Adaptive Community.

The Crystal Lakes CWPP is being implemented by volunteers and other
community groups. The Crystal Lakes Community Wildfire Protection Program
Demonstration Project will involve the cooperation of the Crystal Lakes Fire Department, the Crystal Lakes Water and Sewer Association, the Green Belt Committee, the CWPP Implementation Team, the Crystal Lakes Open Space Conservancy Group, the CLRRA, and the State Forest Service. There are over 32 community volunteers to assist with this project as well as the supporting organizations.

The Crystal Lakes Community Wildfire Protection Program (2022 study) determined that fire risk across the CLRRA and surrounding neighborhoods is extreme in many areas and could put the lives of residents, visitors, and firefighters at risk. There is immediate need for this community to undertake proactive measures to mitigate wildfire risk to protect lives and property. Under moderate fire weather conditions typical of a summer day in
CLFPD, 27% percent of the CLFPD could experience high to extreme fire behavior. This percentage increases to 50% under less common but more extreme, hot, dry, and windy conditions.