MCWC receives $350,000 wildfire resilience investment – Garfield County, Colorado
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MCWC receives $350,000 wildfire resilience investment

Hires Colorado River Wildfire Collaborative program manager

MCWC PRESS RELEASE
May 20, 2026

The Middle Colorado Watershed Council (MCWC) has received a $262,500 Forest Restoration and Wildfire Risk Mitigation (FRWRM) grant award from the Colorado State Forest Service, securing critical funding to expand community wildfire resilience efforts across the middle Colorado River watershed.

The grant, officially accepted March 31, is paired with $87,500 in matching contributions from ten regional partners, creating a total three-year investment of $350,000 to support the Colorado River Wildfire Collaborative (CRWC) and fund a new full-time program manager position.

MCWC welcomed Sam Feuerborn as its Colorado River Wildfire Collaborative Program Manager this week. In this new role for the organization, Feuerborn will lead implementation of priority wildfire resilience projects throughout the watershed.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join the Middle Colorado Watershed Council as the Colorado River Wildfire Collaborative Program Manager,” says Feuerborn. “The West Slope faces very real challenges from wildfire and post-fire impacts, and I’m committed to bringing communities together to meet them head-on, protecting our watersheds, our way of life and the wildlife habitat that sustains us all. I’m honored to help lead such vital work.”

Funding partners include Garfield County, Chevron, Holy Cross Energy, the towns of Silt, Rifle, Parachute and New Castle, De Beque Fire Protection District and Colorado River Fire Protection District.

As program manager, Feuerborn will coordinate wildfire mitigation efforts in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), support woody biomass repurposing initiatives, expand community outreach and education and continue fundraising efforts to advance ten priority projects identified by the collaborative.

Feuerborn brings more than 16 years of experience in conservation leadership, outdoor education and collaborative land stewardship on Colorado’s Western Slope. Prior to joining MCWC, he served in leadership roles with Wilderness Workshop and Colorado Mountain College, where he managed habitat restoration projects, stewardship programs and outdoor education initiatives.

“This investment reflects the strong regional partnerships needed to address increasing wildfire risk in western Colorado,” said Matt Schiltz, the Colorado State Forest Service’s regional supervisory forester. “Wildfire resilience requires long-term coordination across jurisdictions, landowners and communities, and this funding allows us to build that capacity in a meaningful way.”

The Colorado River Wildfire Collaborative was formed in 2022 to strengthen wildfire preparedness, mitigation and post-fire resilience throughout the middle Colorado River watershed through cross-sector collaboration among local governments, fire districts, nonprofits, utilities and community partners.

More information about the Colorado River Wildfire Collaborative is available at Middle Colorado Watershed Council – Colorado River Wildfire Collaborative.