The Mid-Valley Fuels Break project spans more than 3,000 acres across the midvalley between Carbondale and Basalt, including the North Mount Sopris, East Sopris Creek, and Sopris Mountain Ranch areas. This landscape is one of the highest priorities because it forms a critical fuels break between Carbondale and Snowmass Village. A wildfire simulation led by USFS and Roaring Fork Fire shoed that a wildfire could spread from the highway just south of Carbondale to Snowmass in only 12 hours—a clear indicator of the urgency.

This project is a collaborative effort led by the Wildfire Collaborative Roaring Fork Valley, Roaring Fork Fire Rescue, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management, with financial support from Pitkin County, Natural Disaster Mitigation Enterprise, Aspen One Environment Foundation, and Sopris Mountain Ranch homeowners. 

Together, we are confronting the significant wildfire hazards in the area, where dense vegetation, steep terrain, and constrained evacuation corridors create conditions for fast-moving, high-intensity fires. Reducing these risks is essential to protect residents, safeguard property, and strengthen the overall resilience and safety of our communities.

The project combines on-the-ground forest work with landscape-scale prescribed fire to create meaningful, long-term reductions in wildfire hazard, including:

300 acres of private land at Sopris Mountain Ranch, focusing on:

• Forest thinning and ladder fuel reduction
• Improved defensible space and access
• Ongoing maintenance to preserve safer conditions

2,750 acres of public land -- USFS and BLM -- in the East Sopris Creek aream focusing on:

• Low-intensity prescribed burning
• Reduction of heavy fuel buildup
• Restoration of healthier, more resilient forest conditions

The total project cost is estimated at nearly $2,000,000 covering GIS mapping, planning, mechanical fuel treatments, prescribed burning, and overall project management.

This project reflects a strong partnership between agencies, landowners, and the broader community. By taking proactive steps, we are strengthening long-term wildfire resilience for this landscape and the people who call it home.