The Hayman fire was the largest, hottest and second most costly fire that Colorado ever experienced. But with devastation comes recovery, and teams are still working hard to return the forest to its former glory.
The National Forest Foundation is a conservation organization working with the forest service to help make the critical work happen. KimLangmaid from the NFF said Pike national forest, "could use the most help."
The Mile High Youth Corp is also helping out by creating rolling log erosion control structures throughout the Hayman burn area to help recreate a working environment. The structures involve taking natural objects and burying themto mimic the natural landscape so that erosion is controlled.
Erosion is also being worked on by the U.S. National Service Agency. They are creating drainage basins to help reduce the effect of erosion which caused increased flooding after the Hayman event. Hydrologist Dana Butler said the flooding and erosion, "led to increased sediment and dirt coming down into the water."
To help combat that, the National Service Agency, similar to MHYC, is using large boulders and trees to create a whole new stream system. Butler said, " it will reduce flooding and it will lead to less road maintenance and less sediment moving down stream."
Even 10 years later the restoration efforts are ongoing and arestill needing attention. The Coalition for the Upper South Platte is coordinating volunteers to help Hayman restoration efforts. Over 17,000 volunteers have helped rake seed, plant trees, and create structures to control runoff.
While wildfires still continue to plague Colorado,Hayman continues to serve up starkreminders of the importance offire safety tips. Westcreek Fire Chief Steve Brown said natural fires caused by lightning strikes are bad, but human caused fires are the ones that cause the most distress. Brown said the most best way to prevent fires is through education. "Drown campfires 100 percent, put as much dirt and rocks around them as you can so that we don't have issues like this," Brown said.
The Hayman fire burned 137,000 acres (about 214 square miles). Over the course of a month, the blaze consumed 600 buildings including 133 homes.
On Friday, public and private partners and community members that helped in restoring the Hayman fire areacelebrated the successes and restoration of the Hayman landscape.Organizers of an anniversary event said theHayman area, which includes the South Platte River watershed, serves as one of Colorado's major water sources and they say therestoration of this area is critical.
They say much of the success of the Hayman restoration to date hascome through a partnership launched three years ago by the National Forest Foundationand Vail Resorts as part of the NFF's Treasured Landscapes national conservation campaign.
Hayman restoration executives say this work illustrates how collaboration canmake a resounding impact. They point out that todate this effort has resulted in the following:
• $4 million contributed.
• 1 million trees planted.
• Nearly 17,000 acres seeded.
• More than 17,000 volunteers worked 105,000 hours across the landscape.
• 451 Colorado kids worked green jobs on behalf of the restoration.
• A model for future wildfire restoration efforts around the country.
• A unified vision for a healthy forest.
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Katie Spencer contributed to this report.
