Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code Implementation Program

Headwaters Economics is helping Colorado communities adopt and implement the state’s new Wildfire Resiliency Code by offering free technical assistance to city and county governments and councils of governments.

This program is affiliated with Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire (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 free to selected communities, and all recommendations are adopted at the discretion of the community.

Program overview

Over the course of six months, from October 27, 2025 to May 1, 2026, more than 25 communities in Colorado worked with the CPAW team and contractors to address issues that come into play as they adopt the new code, including: 

  • Guidance on adoption and incorporation of language 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.

Community resources

for adopting Colorado’s Wildfire Resiliency Code

CPAW is making the resources generated for this program publicly available to all communities that might need them.

If your state or community is interested in pursuing a cohort model for wildfire building code adoption please contact:

Ryan Handy

ryan@headwaterseconomics.org