Wildfire Awareness

Why is defensible space important

Voluntarily cleaning up and removing slash from your property is the best way to prevent wildfires, reduce property damage, and lessen homeowners insurance rates, among other things. Helping to protect your investment as well as your entire community is paramount in these perilous times considering Climate Change. We all love our mountain homes and we should be good stewards of our National Forests so we can continue to enjoy their beauty for years to come. We’ll cover some of the services we provide that address many of the concerning aspects of owning an unmaintained slash filled property.

We highly recommend visiting the Colorado State Forest Service website to obtain more information on “home hardening” your property/mountain cabin and what that might entail.

If proper defensible space is created around your home, it may survive a wildfire.

Recommendations for creating defensible space

Reduce or eliminate vegetation around the home.
Thin forest to create ‘vegetation clusters’ within 100’ of the home and create space of 10’, or more, between groups of trees.
No trees or brush within 10’ of your propane tank, if you have one.
Trim branches so that none are overhanging the roof or within 15’ of a chimney.
Do not install combustible structures (fences, trellises, etc.) within 30’ of the home.
Trimming ladder fuels (low branches) up to 12’ above ground reduces a ‘fire ladder’ effect which can ignite the crown.
Do not store firewood, lumber, or anything combustible under decks or within 30’ of the home.