Eagle County is a diverse community of over 55,000 full-time residents and thousands of visitors annually. It is also a growing community, with a projected 2040 population of 71,000 people. Throughout Eagle County the values of health, education, and recreation remain strong and contribute to a vibrant community culture. Across the County, disparities in income levels and access to vital resources vary significantly — in a community where the average household income is above $90,000 annually, over nine percent of the population lives below the poverty line [1].
Cost of living, availability of affordable housing, and attainable health care services present a major challenge to many community members [2]. The majority of jobs in Eagle County are service-related, most of which are linked to the tourism industry, which could be significantly impacted by climate change. The disparity in service sector wages in contrast to the cost of housing and other socioeconomic stressors may be a driver behind some mental and physical health problems in Eagle County, where suicide is the fourth leading cause of death, and double the national rate [3].
Compounding the challenges of providing opportunity for all community members to achieve an affordable high quality of life are the challenges of ensuring that community members remain safe in the face of climate-related dangers, including increased wildfire risk, increasing temperatures, and decreasing snowpack. While all residents and visitors of Eagle County are affected by these types of events, those living in frontline communities, in particular residents of mobile home parks, immigrant communities, and young children and older adults are the most susceptible to the effects of climate change and extreme weather events. Higher temperatures will likely contribute to an uptick in the instances of vector-borne illnesses, including the West Nile Virus and Hantavirus, as well as bark beetle infestations affecting forest health. Increases in the frequency or extent of wildfires will have a detrimental impact on air quality and will have particularly negative impacts on first responders, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems [4].
The Health and Wellness Climate Challenge
Increasing wildfire risk
As climate change exacerbates the size, intensity, and duration of wildfires, there is the possibility of catastrophic impacts to the health of Eagle County’s residents and visitors. Poor air quality and a lack of safe and sanitary drinking water due to wildfire can cause serious health concerns in the community and can disproportionately impact particularly vulnerable populations. As wildfires can rapidly change the face of a landscape by burning down homes and entire neighborhoods, access to safe evacuation routes and resources to support individuals and families during and after an evacuation is crucial.
Rising temperatures
Temperatures in Eagle County are increasing due to climate change. This can present a serious health concern for many residents, including those that work or recreate regularly outside, very young children, the elderly, and those without access to a place where they can cool off and, if needed, rehydrate. Rising temperatures have the additional impact of facilitating a more productive habitat for the spread of disease and vector-borne illnesses, which can negatively effect individual and community health.
Decreasing Snowpack
As winter tourism is a major driver of the economy in Eagle County, and a significant share of jobs in the community are related to this industry, long-term reductions in snowpack may decrease the availability of jobs in the community. This can have cascading effects on other aspects of the community, access to services, baseline social safety net programs, real estate values, and mental health.
Health and Wellness Resilience Strategies
Build community equity, trust, and civic engagement.
How It Helps: Getting residents involved in all aspects of life in the County will not only help improve community resilience, it will enhance our commitment to health, wellness, and prosperity for the entire community.
Actions:
Incentivize community involvement and civic engagement on resilience.
Plan, fund, and implement community events that improve social infrastructure and enhance community cohesion.
Invest in community cohesion to create more resilient communities before disaster occurs.
Ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all community residents, visitors, and workers during and after a disaster.
How It Helps: Being prepared for any disaster that comes our way is key to community resilience and ensuring the safety, health, and well-being of all of our community members.
Actions:
Ensure community and individual assets are insured against catastrophic wildfire.
Coordinate post-fire emergency protection measures (with regards to landslides, flooding, and erosion) with relevant agencies.
Host neighborhood events specific to emergency response, education, and preparedness.
Support frontline communities in preparing for and recovering from extreme weather events.
How It Helps: Frontline community members are individuals that are frequently impacted first and worst by climate change and extreme weather events. The resilience of Eagle County is dependent on our ability to ensure that all community members are prepared for and able to recover from extreme weather events.
Actions:
Coordinate health related emergency management and evacuation services with frontline community organizations, community members, and resources.
Develop formalized agreements (MOU's) with hospitals and clinics to be better prepared for catastrophic wildfire. Ensure these MOU’s address protocols, preparedness, and bed availability.
Build and strengthen partnerships with frontline community organizations and community members.
Enhance community wellness by investing in social infrastructure and increasing community connectivity in neighborhoods.
How It Helps: A connected community is a resilient community. Investing in projects and programs that help neighbors know each other will both enhance their involvement in County planning and make them better able to support each other during and immediately following wildfires and other extreme weather events.
Actions:
Support recreational opportunities that are accessible to all, including those activities that may be lost due to climate change.
Create community hubs for people of all ages, races, and incomes to play, learn, and connect.
Identify opportunities to increase social connectivity in areas in the County that have no internet or cell service.
Increase public awareness of air quality impacts, monitoring, and response.
How It Helps: Knowing what to do during periods of lower air quality (primarily from wildfires) will reduce the impacts of those events (particularly on frontline community members). Investing in monitoring air quality in the region will help build awareness of the issues and provide support for actions that limit the effects of poor air quality.
Actions:
Create and deploy an education campaign to help people understand what to do when wildfires reduce local air quality (use neighborhoods as units of change).
Develop materials that accurately portray Eagle County’s air quality.
Develop an air quality monitoring and public reporting system.
Potential Partners
Eagle County Public Health and the Environment, Eagle County Emergency Management, EnergySmart, Walking Mountain Science Center, Colorado Affordable Residential Energy (CARE), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), public information officers, local businesses, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Recreation districts, community leaders and organizations, homeowner associations, neighbors/citizens/neighborhoods, planners, non-profits, schools, ECO trails, education organizations, faith-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, MIRA, Colorado Department of Transportation, Chamber of Commerce, Neighborhood Navigators, recreation districts, schools, education organizations, faith-based organizations, elected officials, neighborhood groups, large employers, non-governmental organizations, Eagle Valley Outdoor Movement, media (local and social).
