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HB 25-1009

Vegetative Fuel Mitigation

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jennifer Bacon and 22 co-sponsors

HB 25-1009 lets fire districts require removal of dead vegetation on private property, with notices and fines up to $200 per incident (max $1,200 per property) funded for mitigation.

Governor Signed
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Bill Summary · HB 25-1009

Summary — HB 25‑1009: Vegetative Fuel Mitigation (Governor signed)

Status: Governor signed (effective March 31, 2025)
Introduced: January 8, 2025 — Sponsors: Reps. Mauro, Joseph; Sens. Cutter, Hinrichsen

Purpose

Enable local fire protection entities to reduce wildfire risk by authorizing districts to require and, where necessary, enforce removal of dead or dry plant material (“vegetative fuel”) on privately owned property and to use enforcement revenues to support mitigation.

Key definitions

  • “Vegetative fuel”: dead plant material that can burn (e.g., leaves, grass, shrubs, ground litter, fallen pine needles).
  • “Privately owned real property”: excludes property classified as agricultural land by the assessor and certain nonprofit‑leased agricultural property; also excludes property covered by a public utility vegetation‑management or wildfire plan and property adjacent to water‑conveying ditches within their easements.

Core provisions

  • A fire protection district — and metropolitan districts that provide fire prevention services — may establish a vegetative fuel mitigation program.
  • Programs must adopt policies consistent with the 2024 International Wildland‑Urban Interface Code (or successor) or standards adopted by the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code Board, and must coordinate with applicable local entities and comply with section 37‑99‑103.
  • Notice/enforcement sequence:
    • For each “incident” (all vegetative fuel on a property) the district must provide written first notice (information on the requirement, potential fine, and available grant/funding programs).
    • If not mitigated, a second written notice is required at least 14 days after the first.
    • If still not mitigated, at least 14 days after the second notice the district may assess a fine by certified mail.
  • Fines and limits:
    • Fine must be approximately equal to the cost of removal, but not exceed $200 per property per incident.
    • Total fines against a single property may not exceed $1,200.
    • A fine is waived if the owner/occupier removes the vegetative fuel within 14 days of receiving the fine notice.
    • Districts must establish an administrative protest/objection process; boards may waive fines (in whole or part) for specified reasons (e.g., incorrect assessment, financial inability, removal completed).
  • Restrictions on enforcement:
    • Districts may not enter private property without written permission.
    • Use of drones to discover or enforce vegetative fuel provisions is prohibited.
    • Owners are not liable to the district for damages to district personnel or equipment occurring while the district is on the property performing mitigation (as provided).
  • Revenue use and prioritization:
    • All fine revenue must be used only to remove vegetative fuel on private property within the district.
    • Districts must prioritize assistance to low‑income owners/occupiers, seniors, and people with disabilities.
  • Implementation and outreach:
    • Districts must adopt rules/policies after public notice and comment and post them (website, social media, and local newspaper). A program may become effective no sooner than 30 days after posting.
    • Districts must allow time extensions to mitigate or pay fines when the owner provides documentation (arborist or licensed landscape professional), with maximum extension periods tied to estimated mitigation cost (up to 3 months for $1k–<$2.5k; up to 6 months for $2.5k–<$5k; up to 9 months for $5k–<$10k; up to 1 year if ≥$10k).
    • Districts are required to provide information on state and local grant programs (e.g., Colorado Wildfire Resilient Homes Grant).

Who is affected

  • Fire protection districts and metropolitan districts that provide fire prevention services (they may choose to adopt a program).
  • Private property owners and occupiers within those districts, except properties specifically excluded (agricultural, certain nonprofit/leasing, utilities with plans, ditch easements).

Fiscal and administrative impact

  • State fiscal impact: none (no state revenue or expenditure change).
  • Local impact: districts that establish programs will incur administrative workload and costs to adopt rules, perform outreach, issue notices, enforce compliance, and provide mitigation assistance; fines collected must be spent on mitigation within the district. No state appropriation required.

Effective date

  • Became law and took effect March 31, 2025.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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