10 County Budget Conference – Wildfire Presentation

Douglas County, Colorado’s 10 County Budget Conference wildfire presentation on October 14, 2026, described county investments in wildfire mitigation, preparedness, and response. The county reported that its 50/50 homeowner and HOA cost-share program has distributed $3 million to more than 400 properties and supported treatment of over 1,000 acres. Staff also described grant-writing with public-land and community partners, and plans to use risk-analysis and home-assessment tools to target mitigation and potentially adjust cost-share support for higher-risk properties. No votes or procurement approvals were reported in the transcript.

The presentation highlighted a county biochar facility, expected to begin opening at the end of 2026 and reach full production by July 2027. It is designed to process 10,000–12,000 tons of vegetation annually using a BET rotating-drum pyrolysis unit, with potential for a second unit; staff said proceeds from biochar sales could be reinvested in mitigation. Other initiatives included AI-supported evacuation and wildfire-risk modeling, prescribed fire, sheriff and public works firefighting teams, and helicopter response. Utility partners fund Pano AI fire-detection cameras and share alerts with the county. The transcript mentions exclusive-use helicopter contracting but does not provide a clear contract amount or identify a vendor for that service.