Black Forest Post-Fire Utilization

Black Forest Post-Fire Utilization Program

The community within the Black Forest has been impacted significantly from the  Black Forest fire that occurred June 2013.

• 14,280 acres were burned
• 500 homes, 200 structures destroyed and thousands damaged
• Two deaths

The costs associated with the fire are staggering.

• Suppression costs: $9.3 million
• Insurance losses: $420.5 million
• Estimated market value loss: $116.3 million (About $29 million in losses from trees lost in the fire)

Additional costs are likely to add up over time. In an effort to help reduce further economic losses to the residents affected by the fire, the Colorado Wood Utilization and Marketing (CoWood) program within Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) has partnered with Golden West Pine Mills, Black Forest Together, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and the Woodland Park district of CSFS to develop and impliment the Black Forest Post-Fire Utilization project. Through this project a sawmill was established within the Black Forest community to help residents remove the burnt timber from their property. By placing the sawmill directly within the community, residents are able to remove the timber economically where it will be utilized for products marketed by Golden West Pine Mills.

Project Partners

The following requirements have been developed by Golden West Pine Mill (GWPM) in conjunction with Black Forest Together and must be followed to qualify for removal:

1. No logs smaller than 6” diameter on the small end of the log can be picked up…there is no maximum diameter.
2. The minimum log length is 8’ 6”.The maximum length GWPM can haul is 17’. However, if you have longer lengths contact GWPM to discuss options.
3. Logs must be piled close as possible to a hard-packed surface (driveway, road, etc.). GWPM uses a large truck to move these logs and it can become stuck very quickly in soft or moist soil conditions.
4. Logs must be fairly sound, free of rot (as much as possible) and straight as possible.
5. Logs must be solid, i.e. they may not contain holes.
6. Logs need to be free of slash and other debris
7. In certain instances, GWPM may be able to haul other logs, slash and debris for a small charge.
8. If you want to have your logs picked up, please provide your contact name, address and phone number to the Black Forest Together Resource Center at 719-495-2445 or email at blackforesttogether@gmail.com or contact Andy Hinz with GWPM directly at 970-590-8351 or email at ac57hinz@live.com.

Note: Black Forest Together has no contractual arrangement with GWPM and is facilitating the introduction of the mill as part of the required Colorado Department of Natural Resources Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant work.

GWPM will be hauling these logs to a location in the Black Forest for milling on their mobile sawmill. If you wish to have some or all of your logs milled into a product, let GWPM know and they will be happy to work with you and your requests. If you have horses or livestock and can use sawdust GWPM would love to talk with you! Feel free to call GWPM with any questions and to get on the list to have your logs removed.

Andy Hinz
Golden West Pine Mills, LLC
(970) 590-8351
ac57hinz@live.com
www.goldenwestpinemills.com

For questions regarding forestry management practices, please contact

Dave Root
Colorado State Forest Service
Woodland Park District
719-687-2921
david.root@colostate.edu

More information on how to prepare your logs for pick up can be found here.

Source: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/map/3424/0/