Wildfire Safety

Help protect your home and property from wildland fires

Areas where natural terrain and flammable vegetation border man-made improvements are the most vulnerable to wildfires. Homeowners should take preventive measures to reduce the threat of wildfires to their homes and property, particularly in areas where wildland and urban areas meet.

To protect a home from wildfire, the number 1 goal is to reduce or eliminate ignition sources and fuels within the home ignition zone (PDF), which extends 100 feet beyond your home. Taking steps now can make your home more wildfire resistant:

  • Remove flammable materials from your property, such as firewood, dead leaves or piles of anything that could burn. Preferably, flammable materials should be no closer than 30 feet from your home.
  • Keep roofs and gutters free of dead leaves, debris and pine needles.
  • Install hard surfaces, such as a concrete walkway, or use non-combustible mulch products, such as rock, within 5 feet of your home.
  • Mow the lawn and use low-growing herbaceous (non-woody) plants and shrubs - preferably no juniper or high-oil content plants.
  • Keep lawns and native grasses to a height of 4 inches.
  • Remove shrubs and trees within 0 to 5-feet of the home or structures.

For more tips on preparing property and homes for wildfire, visit Colorado State Forest Service's website for wildfire mitigation resources or the National Fire Protection Association for wildfire public education resources.

If you hire a mitigation company to help prepare your property, do your homework first and get references. It is strongly recommended that homeowners request a plan from the company prior to any work being done. If you would like a member of the fire department to review this plan, please email us. You also can call CRFD at 303-660-1066 for suggestions on who to contact for mitigation.

Protecting a home or property from wildfire is not a one-time effort. It's a process that requires ongoing preparation and shared responsibility.

Recommended building materials in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)

Whether updating your current home or considering new home construction, you can make choices and carry out actions to improve the survivability of your structure during a wildland fire.  Learn about steps you can take to reduce risks to your home and structures and how to improve their chances of surviving a wildfire.

Risk reduction is every resident's responsibility, maintenance is key.

Community Wildfire Protection Plan

Learn more about CRFD's plan to work with the community to mitigate wildfire risks by viewing the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) (PDF).

Wildfire Hazard Zone Map

Learn more about details on the wildfire risk in your neighborhood by viewing this interactive Wildfire Hazard Zone Map based on the CWPP. This interactive map provides an in-depth look at the wildfire risk in and around your community. This tool also has actions you can take to improve the safety of your home, property and community.

Additional information

Information on wildfire prevention and mitigation can be found through the websites of the following organizations:

Call 303-660-1066 for more information.