Understand your wildfire risk
Wildfire behavior depends on fuel, weather, and topography. Steep slopes can accelerate fire spread, dry grasses and beetle-killed timber increase available fuel, and wind-driven embers can ignite homes far from the fire front. Check local hazard maps and talk to your county fire agency to learn your neighborhood’s specific vulnerabilities.
Create defensible space and harden your home
Defensible space and home hardening are the most effective measures homeowners can take.
– Zone your property: Establish a 5–30 foot immediate buffer around structures by removing flammable plants, maintaining low groundcover, and spacing trees. Extend a secondary reduced-fuel zone beyond that where practical.
– Roofs and gutters: Replace or maintain roofing materials that resist embers, and keep gutters clear of leaves and needles.
– Vents and openings: Install ember-resistant vents or cover openings with fine mesh to reduce ember intrusion.
– Decks and siding: Use non-combustible or ignition-resistant materials for decks and siding, and remove combustible items from under elevated decks.
– Landscaping choices: Select fire-resistant plants, irrigate key zones when possible, and avoid dense plantings near buildings.
Plan for evacuation
Having a clear, practiced evacuation plan reduces confusion under stress.
– Create multiple exit routes from your neighborhood and identify a family meeting spot outside the area.
– Assemble a “go-bag” with essentials: medications, important documents, chargers, extra clothes, water, and pet supplies.
– Keep fuel in your vehicle and park it facing the road for quick departure.
– Sign up for local emergency notifications and keep a battery-powered radio or charged phone for updates.
Protect indoor air quality during smoke events
Smoke can travel far beyond visible flames and pose health risks, so prepare to shelter indoors when air quality deteriorates.
– N95 or P100 respirators offer protection when outdoors in heavy smoke; surgical masks and cloth coverings do not filter fine particles effectively.
– Use high-efficiency (HEPA) air purifiers in sleeping and living areas and close doors, windows, and fireplace dampers.
– If you rely on HVAC, fit high-efficiency filters and consider running the system on recirculate to lower indoor particle levels.
Work with neighbors and local agencies
Wildfire prevention is a community effort.
– Organize or join local mitigation projects, neighborhood chipping days, and vegetation thinning.
– Support or participate in fuel-break creation and prescribed fire programs conducted by local land managers — these treatments lower fuel loads and reduce the intensity of future fires.
– Communicate with homeowners associations and local officials about defensible-space standards and evacuation infrastructure.
Insurance, documentation, and livestock
– Review homeowner or renter insurance to understand coverage for wildfire-related losses; maintain digital and physical copies of important documents in a waterproof, portable container.
– Prepare animal evacuation plans and identify transport options, temporary boarding, or neighbor assistance well in advance.
Staying informed and proactive
Monitor local fire alerts, air quality indices, and weather forecasts during high-risk seasons. Regular maintenance, thoughtful landscaping, and community coordination can significantly reduce damage and give families more time to act when fires occur. Taking these steps today helps protect property, health, and the natural places that draw people to Colorado.