In late September Gov. Jared Polis wrote President Donald Trump seeking a major disaster declaration in Rio Blanco County that could result in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds being made available to help the county recover from this year’s Lee and Elk fires.

Of $27.5 million in initial damages, Polis outlined from the fires and subsequent mudslides, $23.7 million is attributed to losses suffered by a single entity, the White River Electric Association.

“It smacked us pretty good,” said the electric cooperative’s general manager and CEO, Alan J. Michalewicz.

“Ultimately that was the worst thing you could think of happening and it happened for White River Electric as well as White River’s electrical system.”

The fires torched White River poles, conductors and other infrastructu

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