Golden Field Office – Wildfire Mitigation & Education
Colorado State Forest Service personnel serve as resources for landowners, homeowners and communities so they have the knowledge to fully prepare for future wildfires.
What is Wildfire Mitigation?
As more people build homes, operate businesses and recreate in areas where wildlands border urban areas, wildfire threats to properties and lives increase.
Wildfire mitigation actions are on-the-ground treatments of forested properties implemented to reduce the threat of wildfire. These actions can take place before, during or after a wildfire has occurred. The CSFS is the lead state agency in fuels mitigation expertise in Colorado and an excellent resource for residents who want to gain more information and take steps to decrease the threat of wildfire to their property.
Are You At Risk?
More than two million Coloradans live in the wildland-urban interface (WUI). Are you one of them?
The wildland-urban interface is any area where man-made improvements are built close to, or within, natural terrain and flammable vegetation. If you live in the WUI, you are at risk.
How Can the CSFS Help?
The CSFS develops education materials and programs to assist homeowners, landowners and communities in taking action to reduce their wildfire risk. Additionally, the CSFS provides technical field assistance, project design, and implementation to communities and landowners.
As part of Colorado’s Forest Action Plan, the CSFS developed the Colorado Statewide Forest Resource Strategy with the goal of protecting forests from harm. This includes encouraging the creation of fire-adapted communities through the implementation of forest management to increase forest resiliency. The CSFS provides a variety of programs and resources for homeowners and communities to achieve this goal.
Remember that protecting a home, property and a community from wildfire is not a one-time effort. It is a process and requires ongoing participation, maintenance and shared responsibility.
Firewise USA®
Firewise USA® is a national recognition program that provides instructional resources to inform people how to adapt to living with wildfire and encourages neighbors to work together and take action to reduce their wildfire risk.
The CSFS Golden Field Office has been involved in the Firewise USA® program since its conception. Its first Firewise community, Genessee, was added in 2002. Since then, they have added 15 communities to the list.
The CSFS and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) work together to implement the Firewise USA® program in Colorado. The CSFS provides technical assistance and education to interested landowners, homeowners and communities to help them take action and ownership in preparing their homes against the threat of wildfire.
To learn more about the Firewise USA® recognition program or to fill out an application, visit the national Firewise website.