Posted by Lisa Coalwell Loveland Fire Rescue Authority Board Meeting Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at 1:30 PM On Wednesday, April 29, the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority board members will be discussing the proposed 2027 budget -- which is a $9,900,000 increase over the 2026 budget -- as well as deciding on ways to search for a new fire chief, and how much that search will cost. You can see the 129-page information packet the board members will use at the meeting, as well as the a

On last weeks GMRS Net, neighbor Mike O. provided some great Fire Safety tips. Here is a summary of that conversation. The greatest probability of any of us encountering fire near our homes comes from ignition sources within our homes. Before anything else, make sure your egress pathways and doors are not cluttered or difficult to open—your ability to escape quickly is critical. Have adequate fire extinguishers and fire extinguishing blankets readily available Clean your woo

4-2-26: Posted by Gib and Lisa Coalwell What is a Neighborhood Buddy System for Emergencies? The Buddy System is a way for neighbors to check on each other during an emergency situation. What do Buddies do? During an emergency, neighborhood buddies contact each other to make sure each person is aware of the emergency, and to see if anyone in the group needs help. Contact methods: Phone calls, texts, emails, Pinewood Slack group, Pinewood GMRS radios, physical visit Help that

Properly maintained equipment is the backbone of effective wildfire mitigation. Whether you are clearing brush around your home or helping with a larger community project, knowing how to handle a chainsaw safely and efficiently is a critical skill. As a pre-conference opportunity for the Colorado Wildland Fire Conference , a full-day, hands-on classroom session is coming to Fort Collins this April. This course is designed to take the guesswork out of operation and ensure you

3-25-26 (updated 4-27-26): Posted by Lisa Coalwell The Loveland Fire Rescue Authority has two governing boards: The "Rural" Board The Loveland Rural Fire Protection District Board (LRFPD) handles tax money collected from rural residents for the fire department (the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority). This map shows how large the rural tax base is (pink areas are in the city, all other colored areas are designated as rural): Under an intergovernmental agreement, the Rural board

3-25-26: Posted by Lisa Coalwell Updated 5-6-26 by Lisa Coalwell Update The commissioners extended and increased the restrictions through May 26, 2026. Here is an excerpt from the update on the Larimer County website: As of 12:01 a.m., May 6, 2026, increased fire restrictions for the unincorporated portions of Larimer County go into effect. The restrictions will stay in effect until 11:59 p.m., May 26, 2026. This restriction includes limitations on combustible devices and in

Full post includes updates on Fire Chief Sendelbach and LFRA Board UPDATED 3-20-26 by Lisa Coalwell Chief Sendelbach and the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority have jointly negotiated a separation agreement. Here is the link to the Reporter-Herald article: https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?guid=30b34240-aaa1-4c7e-93d7-d19197f55a80&v=sdk&appcode=REP439&eguid=67d3e6ab-75e4-4e48-87b0-9bd34dcdad75&pnum=1# If this link does not work and you would lik

Complied by Angie Robbins and Lisa Coalwell Let's face it -- assembling a "Go Bag" for an emergency evacuation isn't fun. It's an in-your-face reminder that a wildfire is a real possibility. It's easier to get started, though, with this quick-and-easy (and effective) "Emergency Supply Kit" list from the Larimer County website. https://www.larimer.gov/emergency/evacuees If you'd like to create a more complete and extensive Go Bag , check out the websites listed below. There

Compiled 3-12-26 by Lisa Coalwell With high winds come possible power outages. Be ready by checking out these resources: Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association's Outage page: https://pvrea.coop/outages-safety/outages/ Sign up for outage alerts Report an outage Check the Outage map: https://pvrea.outagemap.coop/ Larimer County's Power Outage Safety page: https://www.larimer.gov/emergency/power-outage-safety Learn what to do if you or family members depend on energy-dependen

Updated 4-15-26 Wildfire mitigation is crucial for our community. Creating and maintaining "defensible space" around structures is the single most effective action we can take to protect our properties. The Loveland Fire Rescue Authority (LFRA) is now providing us with a new way to get slash out of our community. The Community Slash Bin Program When you thin out dense vegetation, remove dead trees, or clear brush from your property, you are left with a large amount of materia

In Pinewood Lake, Pole Hill neighborhoods we know that when it comes to mountain living, information is our best defense. To keep our community safe and informed, we rely on two primary pillars of communication: our GMRS Radio network and our neighborhood Slack workspace. While our GMRS radios are our lifeline for voice communication and backup during power outages, Slack serves as our digital hub for real-time data, resource sharing, and automated safety alerts. 1. The Perf

Wildfire preparedness is a community effort, and the residents of Green Mountain Drive recently proved just how effective—and simple—that effort can be. In a fantastic display of neighborhood collaboration, residents banded together to clear hazardous woody debris from their properties, utilizing a valuable resource provided by the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority (LFRA): Community Slash Bins . A Neighborhood Success Story The project was a resounding success. Working together,

Colorado is known for its soaring peaks and rugged landscapes, but the foundation supporting our "Colorful Colorado" lifestyle is showing some wear and tear. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Colorado Section recently released its 2025 Report Card for Colorado’s Infrastructure , and the results offer a sobering look at the systems we rely on every day. Here's a compilation from the report, with the ASCE's comments and suggestions: Overall, Colorado received a C-

From Rocky Mountain PBS: Homeowners in Colorado face difficult decisions when it comes to insuring their home. With increasing fires and more intensive hail, Rocky Mountain PBS and Colorado Public Radio look into the looming crisis — and what the state government is doing to address it. Click here to watch the 26-minute video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=50g8k7FaLOE&t=48s Here is an AI summary of the video: This video, titled "Undercovered: Colorad

Back on August 26, several neighborhoods voted to be added in the LFRA Inclusion zone, to provide additional financial support, through taxes, to our local fire departments. A condition of that approval was that we would not be subject to taxing until 2026. However, many astute neighbors noticed that their 2025 tax bill were revised to include the assessment for the previous tax year. Below is a statement from the LRFPD ensuring that this error will be corrected: “… the prope

As many of us know, living in the beautiful landscape of Larimer County comes with a shared responsibility: being prepared for wildfire. Recent data from the U.S. Forest Service highlights just how critical this is—Larimer County faces a higher wildfire likelihood than 92% of counties nationwide . In response, Larimer County is currently updating its Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) , and they want to hear from us. Why Does This Plan Matter to Our Neighborhood? The C

Every Thursday evening at 7:00 PM MST , our community gathers on the airwaves for our GMRS community net . This weekly forum is a vital space for neighbors to test their equipment, practice radio etiquette, and stay informed through local announcements. In our session this evening, we had 11 check-ins . It was great to hear everyone’s voices as we worked through several critical safety updates for our area. 📢 Key Announcements & Exercises 1. 2026 Evacuation Drill We spent t

The following message is from Josh Roberts Mitigation Coordinator / EOC Planning Section Chief. Larimer County is officially now accepting applications for the 2026 Community Mitigation Grant (CMG) program. The Community Mitigation Grant program is designed to spark grassroots efforts for mitigation activities. By focusing on the neighborhood scale, this program helps build vital momentum for long-term risk reduction work across our community. Program Details & Eligibilit

When a fire breaks out, every second counts. You reach for your fire extinguisher, pull the pin, and squeeze the lever—but nothing happens. This is a nightmare scenario that is entirely preventable. According to the safety experts at the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority (LFRA) , ensuring your fire extinguisher is properly serviced and recharged is a critical component of home and business safety. In this post, we’ll break down why recharging is necessary and how to ensure your