Headwaters Economics is running a program to help Colorado communities adopt and implement the state’s new Wildfire Resiliency Code. This is a free technical assistance program available to city and county governments and councils of governments.
This program is affiliated with the Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire, or CPAW, a program of Headwaters Economics. CPAW provides land use planning solutions, communications assistance, and customized research to better understand and manage wildfire-prone areas and reduce risk. CPAW services are provided at no financial cost to selected communities, and all recommendations are adopted at the discretion of the community.
Program
Over the course of six months, from October 27, 2025, to May 1, 2026, selected communities will work with the CPAW team and supporting contractors to adopt and implement the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code. Applicants can read more about the code on the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control’s website.
Participating communities should expect to dedicate two hours a month to meetings, one for a larger cohort workshop and another for one-on-one meetings with the CPAW team, in addition to staff time spent working on code adoption.
The CPAW can help communities address a variety of issues, including but not limited to:
- Guidance on adoption and incorporation into existing codes.
- Assistance with generating a new wildfire risk map or amending the state’s map.
- Guidance on enforcement of the new code.
- Assistance with public engagement and communications around the new code.
- Guidance for drafting and entering into intergovernmental agreements (for code enforcement).
- Rewriting sections of existing code to comply with the new Wildfire Resiliency Code.
- Working with elected officials to support the adoption and implementation of the code.
Eligibility
- Applicants should be staff members of local governments or councils of governments – to include cities, towns or counties.
- Applicants should commit to the meeting timeline and expectations outlined above.
- All communities are welcome to apply, but preference will be given to communities with minimal, outdated or no prior wildland urban interface codes. Not all communities that apply will be selected.
Application
Applications will be accepted through October 20, 2025. Interested communities should apply using this Google form.