COCONINO COUNTY — At the 2024 After the Flames Conference in Estes Park, Colorado, wildfire recovery specialists from around the nation recognized Coconino County Flood Control District Administrator Lucinda Andreani as recipient of the 2024 Community Phoenix Award.
Andreani was nominated for the award on the merits of her leadership in post-wildfire flood response in Coconino County, where she has dedicated many years of service in the pursuit of solution-oriented approaches to both wildfire recovery and forest restoration. Andreani has also served on the federal Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, testified to Congress about wildfire response, and developed a network of partnerships and education to support wildfire response in communities throughout the Western United States.
“Lucinda is a strong champion for rethinking the ways we plan for and respond to wildfires in our country,” wrote Jonathon Bruno, CEO of Coalitions and Collaboratives, the organization that recognizes exemplary post-wildfire work through the Phoenix Award. “She has dedicated over 13 years of service to innovative and solution-oriented approaches on both federal and non-federal lands, for both restoration and recovery, and with multiple partners. Her passion and commitment is to the people who have lost everything, to restoring our watersheds and forests, and through relentlessly making sure federal leaders understand these needs.”
“I am grateful to accept this honor on behalf of the entire District Team,” Andreani said. “Certainly, what we have accomplished over the years has been an effort of many hands, which includes the leadership shown by our Coconino County Board of Supervisors and the unwavering support from Senators Kelly and Sinema. I am also thankful to the Coalitions and Collaboratives who host the After The Flames Conference and Workshop, which has provided a critical opportunity to share expertise and strengthen networks between the people on the front lines of our nation’s wildfire crisis.”
Currently, Andreani and the District are engaged in mitigation post-wildfire flood impacts from the 2022 Pipeline Fire. In less than two years since the fire, the District has secured upwards of $160 million in flood mitigation funding from federal, state and District resources and implemented over $50 million worth of post-wildfire flood mitigation, including roughly 240 acres of watershed restoration, 254 flood control structures, 37,000 feet of channel stabilization, and roughly 3 miles of neighborhood floodwater conveyance structures such as concrete channels and storm drain pipes.
The Phoenix Award was established in 2019 to commend individuals who exemplify tireless dedication to helping communities rise from the ashes, mirroring the resilience of the legendary phoenix. This award acknowledges outstanding contributions and program impacts in post-wildfire recovery and restoration. In 2024, the conference received over 20 applications for the award, and based on the quality of the applications, elected to issue two awards—one for agency partners and one for community change makers. Alongside Andreani, the 2024 Agency Phoenix Award was given to Cara Sponaugle, National Post-Fire Program Leader for the U.S. Forest Service.
Coalitions and Collaboratives is a Colorado-based non-profit organization that focuses on supporting post-wildfire recovery and efforts to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires. For more information on Coalitions and Collaborations, visit Co-co.org.
For more information on the Coconino County Flood Control District’s post-wildfire flood mitigation and forest restoration projects, visit www.coconino.az.gov/1450/Flood-Control-District.