A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning the use of artificial-intelligence-enabled
Page 1, Line 102detection components to mitigate wildfires.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill requires the division of fire prevention and control (division) in the department of public safety (department) to establish public-private agreements with one or more private partners, by which agreements the state may allocate responsibility or risk to one or more private partners to develop and operate wildfire detection components. The bill also creates the front line innovation and response efficiency cash fund (FIRE fund) in the state treasury. The money in the FIRE fund is annually appropriated to the department to be expended by the division for the purposes of the bill.
In current law, money in the unused state-owned real property fund is continuously appropriated to the department of personnel for several purposes, including paying for public-private agreements and associated costs. Of the money that is appropriated for this purpose, the bill requires the general assembly to transfer the following amounts to the FIRE fund:
- For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, up to $1,000,000;
- For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, $2,000,000; and
- For the 2027-28 state fiscal year, $3,000,000.
The department is required to include information concerning the division's activities under the bill in the department's annual report to the legislative subject matter committees.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds that:
Page 2, Line 3(a) Colorado has experienced a sharp rise in wildfire activity in
Page 2, Line 4recent years, including the 20 largest fires and the 5 most destructive fires in the state's history;
Page 2, Line 5(b) The growing size, duration, intensity, costs, and impacts of
Page 2, Line 6wildfires create a dangerous environment that endangers firefighters and threatens entire communities;
Page 2, Line 7(c) In response, the division of fire prevention and control within
Page 2, Line 8the department of public safety has collaborated with local fire
Page 2, Line 9departments, counties, and federal partners to develop more effective and efficient wildfire preparedness and response strategies;
Page 2, Line 10(d) These efforts include adopting cutting-edge technologies such
Page 2, Line 11as wildfire detection cameras that are designed to quickly identify
Page 2, Line 12potential threats, ensure faster response times, and enhance firefighter
Page 2, Line 13safety;
Page 3, Line 1(e) So far, the existing network of more than 40 cameras deployed across Colorado has proven highly valuable;
Page 3, Line 2(f) These cameras provide on-demand visual intelligence that
Page 3, Line 3allows officials to swiftly assess emerging incidents, coordinate with
Page 3, Line 4jurisdictional agencies, and efficiently direct critical air and ground resources to the right locations;
Page 3, Line 5(g) The integration of wildfire cameras with artificial intelligence,
Page 3, Line 6or "AI", can play a crucial role in safely and efficiently increasing the use of prescribed fires;
Page 3, Line 7(h) AI-integrated cameras provide multiple vantage points to
Page 3, Line 8detect and pinpoint fire activity, monitor fires, and support fire managers in executing prescribed fire projects; and
Page 3, Line 9(i) AI technology is an invaluable asset in improving forest health
Page 3, Line 10and reducing wildfire risks, benefitting communities as well as fire management agencies.
Page 3, Line 11(2) The general assembly therefore declares that the safety of the
Page 3, Line 12people and property within the state is served by the use of AI-integrated
Page 3, Line 13cameras by the division of fire prevention and control within the department of public safety.
Page 3, Line 14SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-33.5-1218.5 as follows:
Page 3, Line 1524-33.5-1218.5. Statewide coverage network - definitions -
Page 3, Line 16public-private agreements - front line innovation and response
Page 3, Line 17efficiency cash fund - detection components. (1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 3, Line 18(a) "Camera station" means one or more cameras and
Page 3, Line 19associated hardware that are capable of:
Page 4, Line 1(I) Generating a three-hundred-sixty-degree panoramic visual feed; and
Page 4, Line 2(II) Utilizing pan, tilt, and twenty times or greater zoom operations.
Page 4, Line 3(b) "Detection component" means an
Page 4, Line 4artificial-intelligence-enabled wildfire detection and
Page 4, Line 5intelligence solution that includes a cohesive, interconnected
Page 4, Line 6collection of camera stations, artificial intelligence detection capabilities, software, and comprehensive services.
Page 4, Line 7(c) "Fund" means the front line innovation and response efficiency cash fund created in subsection (5) of this section.
Page 4, Line 8(d) "Prescribed fire" has the meaning set forth in section 29-22.5-102 (7).
Page 4, Line 9(e) "Private partner" has the meaning set forth in section 24-94-102 (6).
Page 4, Line 10(f) "Public-private agreement" means an agreement
Page 4, Line 11between the state and one or more private partners by which the
Page 4, Line 12state may allocate responsibility or risk to one or more private partners to develop and operate a detection component.
Page 4, Line 13(2) In connection with its powers and duties concerning
Page 4, Line 14the protection of areas in the state at high risk of fire, the
Page 4, Line 15division shall establish public-private agreements with private
Page 4, Line 16partners to establish a statewide coverage network of detection components.
Page 4, Line 17(3) On or before September 1, 2025, the division shall issue
Page 4, Line 18a request for proposals from private entities for the purposes of
Page 4, Line 19this section. The request for proposals must seek proposals for
Page 5, Line 1a detection component that can be procured as a comprehensive
Page 5, Line 2service provided by a private partner to ensure that the
Page 5, Line 3deployment, operation, and maintenance of the detection components are performed by the private partner.
Page 5, Line 4(4) A detection component deployed pursuant to this section must:
Page 5, Line 5(a) Be placed in a location that enables triangulation of
Page 5, Line 6camera stations and other technology to provide precise
Page 5, Line 7locations of fires detected by the statewide coverage network of detection components;
Page 5, Line 8(b) Provide a live feed of information that can discover,
Page 5, Line 9locate, and confirm ignition of a fire, which feed refreshes at
Page 5, Line 10least once per minute and is monitored by an artificial
Page 5, Line 11intelligence system capable of identifying wildfire ignitions at a distance of at least ten miles;
Page 5, Line 12(c) Monitor fire behavior;
Page 5, Line 13(d) Provide enhanced situational awareness for evacuation and fire response activities;
Page 5, Line 14(e) Ensure that contained and prescribed fires are monitored appropriately; and
Page 5, Line 15(f) Include a software interface for fire agencies and
Page 5, Line 16other end users that allows for real-time fire detection alerts,
Page 5, Line 17three-hundred-sixty-degree camera station views, and zoom capability as well as other necessary monitoring functionality.
Page 5, Line 18(5) (a) The front line innovation and response efficiency
Page 5, Line 19cash fund is created in the state treasury. The fund consists of
Page 5, Line 20money transferred to the fund from the unused state-owned
Page 6, Line 1real property fund pursuant to section 24-82-102.5 (5)(c)(III) and
Page 6, Line 2any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or
Page 6, Line 3transfer to the fund for the purposes of this section. The money
Page 6, Line 4in the fund is annually appropriated to the department to be expended by the division for the purposes of this section.
Page 6, Line 5(b) The state treasurer shall credit all interest and
Page 6, Line 6income derived from the deposit and investment of money in the
Page 6, Line 7fund to the fund. Any money remaining in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year remains in the fund.
Page 6, Line 8(c) The department may seek, accept, and expend gifts,
Page 6, Line 9grants, and donations to pay the costs of implementing this
Page 6, Line 10section. Any gifts, grants, and donations received by the department shall be credited to the fund.
Page 6, Line 11(6) In its annual report to the legislative committees of
Page 6, Line 12reference pursuant to section 2-7-203, the department shall
Page 6, Line 13include information concerning the activities of the division pursuant to this section during the preceding year.
Page 6, Line 14SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-82-102.5, amend (5)(c)(I) introductory portion; and add (5)(c)(III) as follows:
Page 6, Line 1524-82-102.5. Unused state-owned real property - cash fund -
Page 6, Line 16legislative declaration - definitions. (5) (c) (I) Except as described in
Page 6, Line 17subsection (5)(c)(III) of this section, the money in the unused
Page 6, Line 18state-owned real property fund is continuously appropriated to the department for:
Page 6, Line 19(III) Of the money appropriated to the department
Page 6, Line 20pursuant to subsection (5)(c)(I)(B) of this section, the general
Page 6, Line 21assembly shall transfer the following amounts to the front
Page 7, Line 1line innovation and response efficiency cash fund created in
Page 7, Line 2section 24-33.5-1218.5 (5) to be expended by the division of fire
Page 7, Line 3prevention and control in the department of public safety to
Page 7, Line 4pay costs associated with the implementation of section 24-33.5-1218.5:
Page 7, Line 5(A) On January 1, 2026, for the 2025-26 state fiscal year, up to one million dollars;
Page 7, Line 6(B) On July 1, 2026, for the 2026-27 state fiscal year, two million dollars; and
Page 7, Line 7(C) On July 1, 2027, for the 2027-28 state fiscal year three million dollars.
Page 7, Line 8SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 7, Line 9takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 7, Line 10ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 7, Line 11that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 7, Line 12of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 7, Line 13act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 7, Line 14effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 7, Line 15November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.