Wildfire-reduction effort abandoned in Legislature

A wildfire bill aimed at reducing fire risks has been shelved in the Colorado Legislature.

The bill would have strengthened the ability of county governments to ban agricultural burning and fireworks when winds are high. The proposal was suggested by a committee of lawmakers that studied ways to reduce wildfire risk.

The bill was awaiting a vote in the Senate, but senators used a legislative maneuver Friday to shelve the proposal.

A Senate committee removed the fireworks provision in the bill, and then farmers complained that the ag-burning provision wasn’t needed.

The agriculture bill isn’t the first wildfire-related measure to stall in the Legislature. Lawmakers have worked on modest proposals this year to address wildfires but have stayed away from more ambitious measures.