CO HB1129

Establishes a Colorado wildland fire prediction and decision support system starting in fiscal year 2015-16, managed by the Division of Fire Prevention and Control through its Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting.

Requires the Division to contract with a Colorado-based research organization (non-profit or tax-exempt) by December 1, 2015, to develop and operate the system with capabilities including real-time weather data integration, fuel information, fire detection data, and user-friendly displays for multiple platforms.

System must improve wildland fire behavior prediction, enhance flight operations safety for the Colorado Firefighting Air Corps by providing aviation weather hazard information, and communicate fire hazard information to government entities across the state.

Appropriates $600,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2015-16 to the Department of Public Safety's Division of Fire Prevention and Control, based on 0.5 additional FTE requirement.

Allows the Division to solicit and accept grants, donations, and gifts from public and private sources, with all funds credited to the Colorado Firefighting Air Corps Fund and continuously appropriated for system implementation costs.