CO HB1009

Fire protection districts and metropolitan districts providing fire protection services may establish programs requiring removal of vegetative fuel (dead plant material including leaves, grass, shrubs, ground litter, and fallen pine needles) from privately owned real property within their boundaries

Districts must provide two written notices at least 14 days apart before assessing fines, with fines capped at $200 per incident and $1,200 total per property; fines are waived if vegetative fuel is removed within 14 days of fine notice

Programs must adopt policies consistent with the 2024 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code or Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code Board standards, and districts must coordinate with local water entities when developing programs

Fine revenue must be used exclusively to remove vegetative fuel on private property within the district, with priority given to assisting low-income, senior, or disabled property owners

Districts may grant time extensions of 3 months to 1 year based on mitigation costs ranging from $1,000 to $10,000+, and cannot use drones for enforcement or access property without written permission