This website contains information relating to the long-term recovery of the High Park and Woodland Heights fire areas. Click on the category of information below to view related documents and links.
High Park & Woodland Heights Fire Long-Term Recovery
Applications for CDBG-DR federal funds for rebuilding, down payment assistance, or driveway reconstruction/repair are now available for High Park Fire affected homeowners. The Loveland Housing Authority at (970) 667-3232 is the agency taking applications for all of Larimer County, including the High Park Fire area. View the application
10% Culvert Discount for High Park Burn Area Residents
Big R Bridge in Greeley is offering a 10% discount off list price on corrugated metal pipes (CMP) to be used for drainage culverts in the High Park Fire burn area. Contact Big R for more information on specific prices and available sizes. Freight costs are not included in this discount; pick-up is possible in Greeley.
Big R Bridge
19060 Weld County Road 66, Greeley, CO 80631
1-888-339-1684 or (970) 356-9600.
Debris/Landfill
- Deadline to clean up properties impacted by the High Park Fire is July 30, 2015. Generally, if the county receives a complaint about junk and debris on property, staff members are obligated to enforce the County's Rubbish Ordinance and/or Land Use Code for removal of junk and debris upon receipt of the complaint. The commissioners recognize property owners impacted by the High Park Fire may require more time to clean up properties due to a delay in receiving insurance proceeds, or, with no insurance proceeds available, to obtain funds to complete clean-ups. On July 16, 2013, the commissioners approved a three-year period, to and including July 30, 2015, for owners to clean up properties impacted by the High Park Fire. This deadline is consistent with the three-year rebuild program already approved by the commissioners.
- Debris disposal guidance
- Wildfire recovery guidance for cleanup of damaged or destroyed buildings
Water/Septic/Smoke
- Replanting in burn areas: Tips for safety and success by Colorado State Forest Service
- Checklist of considerations for post-fire management
Erosion Control
- Contour sandbags fact sheet
- Contour wattles fact sheet
- Erosion control mats fact sheet
- Hand Raking fact sheet
- High Park Fire Rehab Seed Mix
- High Park Fire rehab sterile cover
- Hydromulching fact sheet
- Local sources of erosion control products and services
- Log erosion barrier fact sheet
- Mechanical scarification fact sheet
- Local seed dealers
- Seeding fact sheet
- Soil erosion control after wildfire
- Vegetative recovery after wildfire
- Weed free brochure
- Weed free hay producers by town
- Weed free hay producers
- What are hydrophobic soils?
- Post-fire land rehabilitation
Sediment Control Fact Sheets
- Grade stabilizers
- Rock check
- Rock outlet protection
- Sediment basin
- Straw bale check dam
- Straw bale dike
Forestry
- Long-Term Recovery Group of Northern Colorado (LTRG) – The LTRG is still available to assist residents affected by the High Park and Woodland Heights (Estes Park) fires and subsequent flooding in Larimer County. Residents can make an appointment with a case manager by calling (970) 461-2222 or visiting the LTRG-NoCo office at its new location at 350 E 7th St, Suite 3, Loveland, CO 80537. Office hours are Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Mountain Outreach Team – Supports the High Park and Woodland Heights areas with their recovery through community outreach
- NOCO Rebuilding Network Forum – Discussion forum for rebuilding resources
- Veterans Displaced by the High Park Fire
- Connections: Mental health and substance abuse resources
- Coping During and After the High Park Fire
- Helping Children After a Wildfire
- Fire Resources
County Services
- Larimer County Department of Human Services – (970) 498-6300 or contact benefits@larimer.org
- Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development – Employment, veterans services, call (970) 498-6600
- Colorado State University/Larimer County Extension
- Larimer County Department of Health and Environment – Clean up, debris disposal, air & water quality, Tetanus immunizations, health safety, and more call (970) 498-6775
- Larimer County Planning and Building Services – Rebuilding, hiring contractors, etc., call (970) 498-7660
Wildfires can greatly increase the risk of flooding, mudflows and landslides in burn areas and drainage basins impacted by fire. For the next number of years, substantially increased flood peaks, flow volumes, sediment transport and stream channel destabilization are expected even in minor rain events and outside expected drainage paths. It is important for property owners to understand the change in condition, and take action if necessary.
Flood protection: Sandbagging
- Request free, filled sandbags for post-fire and post-flood 2013 protection: Call Serve 6.8 at (970) 231-6445 or email info@serve68.org to request sandbags. More information
- Sandbag barrier fact sheet
- Sandbagging for flood protection
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Reports and Analysis
This report was completed in October 2012 and developed estimates of peak discharges that could be produced from different rainstorm events within the burn area drainage basins. These changes in discharge are an indication of increased flood hazard potential. The report is technical in nature, but results show that runoff can be 4-10 times greater due to the High Park Fire. Appendix A includes maps of many of the individual drainage basins and a chart for each basin comparing pre- and post- fire flow rates at various locations in each basin.
Appendix A - Predicted High Park Flood Response for individual Basins October 2012
- Bellvue Area
- Buckhorn Creek (Upstream)
- Buckhorn Creek (Downstream)
- Hewlett Gulch
- Lewstone Creek
- Miscellaneous Poudre Canyon
- Pendergrass and Poverty
- Poudre Park Area
- Redstone Creek
- Rist Canyon
- Skin Gulch Area
- South Fork Cache la Poudre
- Young Gulch
Poster: increased Flood Potential of Streams Draining the High Park Fire September 2012
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Mitigation Reports
The NRCS completed detailed reports which have identified areas that may benefit from additional mitigation efforts. The report includes recommendations and considerations specific to private property within the burn area. This information is useful to property owners in order to plan for the placement of sandbags, blocks and other flood mitigation recommendations.
- Bellvue Mitigation Report
- Boyd Gulch Mitigation Report
- Buckhorn Creek Mitigation Report
- Falls Gulch Mitigation Report
- Hill Gulch Mitigation Report
- Rist Canyon Mitigation Report
- Skin Gulch Mitigation Report
- UnNamed 3 Mitigation Report
United States Geological Survey (USGS) Report
This report, completed in July 2012 was a preliminary assessment of the debris flow hazards within the drainage network within the burn area. The report provides estimates of the percent probability and volume of debris flow for a 10-year storm event generating 1.5 inches of rain in a one-hour time period. The results indicate a potential for substantial debris-flow impacts on structures, roads, bridges, and culverts located within, and immediately downstream, from the burned area. Results are summarized in Table 1 on page 8 of the report and are graphically shown on page 10 and 11. (Note: this report analyzes debris flow within 3 years after a fire and does not evaluate the hazards from flash floods without debris flow, which may remain for many years after a fire.)
- Probability and Volume of Potential Post Wildfire Debris Flows in the 2012 High Park Burn Area July 2012
- USGS Probability Map with County Roads
- USGS Volume Map
Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Report
This is an interagency report completed just after the fire that summarizes watershed information, areas of concern, values at risk and proposed immediate treatment measures.
- Burned Area Emergency Response Report July 2012
Potential Inundation Mapping
Larimer County contracted with a local engineering firm to prepare inundation mapping for Rist Creek and the Mill Creek/Bellvue areas. This mapping was prepared using high quality topography obtained after the fire and represents a qualitative assessment of what the flood conditions could look like during a 2-year, 10-year, 25-year or 100-year post-fire storm event.
- Rist Creek (overview)
- Rist Creek 1
- Rist Creek 2
- Rist Creek 3
- Rist Creek 4
- Rist Creek 5
- Mill Creek
- Bellvue
Falls Gulch Flood Risk
The NRCS completed a detailed study specific to Falls Gulch which identified the post-fire estimated water surface elevation along the reach of the gulch during different magnitudes of storms. The report includes detailed cross-sections along the reach that graphically show the expected elevation of the stormwater compared to the location of existing structures. This information is useful to property owners in order to plan for the placement of any new structures and help plan mitigation efforts to protect properties and existing structures. It is recommended that all new structures are placed such that the lowest opening is set above the 'energy grade' (or E.G.) elevation in the tables.
Home Protection
- USDA – United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development Housing and Community Programs
- Colorado Department of Health and Environment Wildfire Guidance Document
- Air Quality Information
- Colorado Division of Insurance – for a variety of insurance-related questions. Call (800) 930-3745, (303) 394-7490
- Fire survivors with questions related to state tax records, etc. can either visit the office in person or call the office. The contact information is:
Richard Eastis
Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Taxation
Taxpayer Service Office
3030 South College
Fort Collins, CO 80525
(970) 494-9805
Office hours: 8 a.m. - noon, 1 - 5 p.m.
Note: This is in the Drivers License building