Wildland Fire Preparedness

P R E P A R I N G F O R W I L D L A N D F I R E S

Dry conditions at various times of the year greatly increase the potential for wildland fires. Protecting your residence from wildfire is a shared responsibility. Establishing defensible space reduces the likelihood of a home igniting by direct contact with flame or by exposure to the radiant heat of the fire. It also helps limit local production of embers and reduces the chance a structure fire will spread to neighboring homes or surrounding vegetation.

Here are tips to develop defensible space zones around each building on your property, including detached garages, storage buildings, barns and other structures:

Remove items that will burn from around the house, including wood piles, shrubs that are against the building, and wood mulch (use rock mulch instead).

Replace cedar shake roofs with new lowflammability shingles.

Consider replacing wooden siding with non-flammable siding or stucco.

Have trees trimmed so branches are not over or near the structures.

Keep roof gutters clear of debris.

Remove fallen leaves/pine needles as soon as possible after they fall.

For additional resources on how to reduce your wildfire risk, visit: https://csfs.colostate.edu/wildfiremitigation/protect-your-home-propertyfrom-wildfire www.wildlandfirersg.org/s/are-youwildfire-ready? or contact your local fire department.