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Aspen Public Radio is proud to present select lectures, discussions, and conversations from area events and festivals, thanks to a remarkable collection of community partners. Click here to view the full archive. Events are recorded at no cost to the partner and archived here online; select recordings are broadcast on Aspen Public Radio Sunday nights at 7 p.m.

Proactive & Prepared: Wildfire in the Roaring Fork Valley – “New Technology: What are we doing in advance, and how are we responding?”

Aspen Public Radio
Published May 11, 2026 at 9:25 AM MDT
Craig Turpin

This event was recorded on May 6, 2026 at The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW), produced by Wildfire Collaborative Roaring Fork Valley and Aspen Public Radio.

TACAW was pleased to partner with the Wildfire Collaborative Roaring Fork Valley and Aspen Public Radio on this event designed to increase awareness and preparedness as wildfire season approaches.

Colorado is experiencing its warmest year in 131 years of record, and one of its driest. The Roaring Fork Valley sits at the epicenter, among the hardest-hit areas in the state for severe drought. With snowpack now peaked at historic lows, climate scientists are drawing comparisons to years that defined what catastrophic wildfire looks like in Colorado.

This event aimed to bring our community together for a direct conversation about what these conditions mean for our valley, what local fire departments and researchers are doing about it, and what each of us can do to protect our homes and our neighbors. The evening began with a community preparedness fair, followed by presentations and panels featuring climate scientists, local fire chiefs, and researchers whose work is focused specifically on this region.

Listen here for the following panel discussions:

New Technology: What are we doing in advance? – A panel focused on cutting-edge wildfire behavior modeling being deployed across the Roaring Fork Valley, what the data reveals about where risk is concentrated, and how that science is shaping mitigation priorities on the ground. Presented by: Angie Davlyn, Executive Director, Wildfire Collaborative Roaring Fork Valley; Greg LeBlanc, Snowmass Assistant Town Manager; and Rob Goodwin, Carbondale Fire Chief.

New Technology: How are we responding? – A panel focused on emerging fire response technology, including autonomous drone systems Aspen Fire is exploring and how these tools are changing suppression capability and incident command in real time. Presented by: Jake Andersen, Aspen Fire Chief; Scott Thompson, Roaring Fork Fire Rescue Fire Chief; and Brandon Deter, Colorado River Fire Protection Wildland Fire Division Chief.

Both panels were moderated by Aspen Public Radio Climate reporter Michael Fanelli.

Explore more wildfire preparedness resources here: https://www.rfvwildfire.org/solutions/resources
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