The Colorado State Forest Service’s new Wildfire Risk Assessment finds about 2.5 million Coloradans live in the wildland-urban interface, where human development meets wildland vegetation and risk of being affected by wildfire increases. These Colorado residents need to take steps to reduce the risk of wildfire to people, property and pets.
LiveWildfireReady.org offers many tools to help Colorado residents prepare for wildfire:
- An interactive map to learn your personal wildfire risk
- Nine simple, low-cost actions to prepare your home for wildfire
- Local resources for wildfire mitigation
Take Control in 1, 2, 3
This year, National Preparedness Month focuses on Take Control in 1, 2, 3. This Ready.gov campaign covers an array of subjects, and it’s an excellent concept to follow for Coloradans looking to prepare their homes for wildfire. Mitigation experts typically split the Home Ignition Zone — a home and the area around a home or structure — into 3 zones. They suggest actions homeowners can take in each zone to reduce the risk of wildfire.
Here’s how to Take Control in 1, 2, 3:
Zone 1: 0-5 feet from the home
Take action in this zone to prevent flames from coming in direct contact with a home or other structure. Use nonflammable, hard surface materials (rock, gravel, cement) in this zone.
Critical steps in Zone 1
- Remove all flammable vegetation
- Don’t store firewood
- Prune tree branches hanging over the roof
- Clean gutters
- Rake and dispose of dead leaves and pine needles
Zone 2: 5-30 feet from the home
In this space, property owners should reduce fuel available to an approaching fire; this will help reduce a fire’s intensity as it nears buildings.
Critical steps in Zone 2
- Mow grasses to 4 inches or less
- Avoid large piles of surface fuels such as logs, branches, slash and mulch
- Regularly prune shrubs to prevent excessive growth
- Remove stressed, diseased, dead or dying trees and shrubs
Zone 3: 30-100 feet from the home
This zone focuses on mitigation that helps keep fire on the ground, but it’s also a space to make choices that can improve forest health. Healthy and resilient forests include trees of multiple ages, sizes and species, where adequate growing room is maintained over time.
Steps to consider Zone 3
- Maintain 6-10 feet between tree crowns
- Clear ladder fuels, things like shrubs or bushes at the base of trees that help fire climb from the ground into the treetops
To be truly prepared, property owners can get more information about each of these zones and actions on the CSFS webpage Protect Your Home & Property from Wildfire.
Help Older Adults Prepare for Wildfire
Another focus of National Preparedness Month is helping older adults. Coloradans can help older family members or neighbors living in the WUI prepare for wildfire, even if you don’t live nearby. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Help an older adult understand their wildfire risk using this interactive map
- Mow the grass, clean the gutters or do other wildfire mitigation tasks for a neighbor
- Share LiveWildfireReady.org with older adults you know who live in the WUI
- Find out if their neighborhood has a Community Wildfire Protection Plan and review it
Wildfire mitigation efforts are more effective when entire neighborhoods and communities commit to them. National Preparedness Month is a good reminder for all Coloradans to prepare their homes and properties for wildfire. You can take actions now that will pay off all year, and you can plan ways to prepare your home for wildfire throughout the year.