This presentation was developed by the Colorado State Forest Service

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This presentation was developed by the Colorado
State Forest Service
with the assistance of
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Map

• Are You Firewise?
• You Are At Risk
• Damages Done
• Agencies Programs
• Firescaping
• Why Firescape Your Forested Homesite
• Defensible Space
• Fire Resistant Vegetation
• Accessibility
• Water Supply
• Firewise Construction
• Make Your House Firewise
• Building Site
• Building Materials
• Online Publications

Title Slide Credits
Return
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You Are At Risk

• Many people do not realize that they face serious
  wildfire danger.
• But if you live or play in the foothills,
  grasslands or mountains of Colorado, you are at
  risk.

Are You FireWise?
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Did You Know?
Why are forests less resistant to fire than they
were 100 years ago?

• Forests are too dense and overgrown.
• Forests arent less resistant fires are in the
  news more than before.
• More flammable strains of trees have taken over
  the forests.

The correct answer is A
Are You FireWise?
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Environmental Forest Condition

• More than a century of fire suppression and the
  publics negative opinion of fire have led to
  decreased forest resistance to fire.
• Many people assume that when a wildfire starts,
  it will be quickly controlled and extinguished,
  but sometimes wildfires burn so intensely that
  there is little firefighters can do.

Are You FireWise?
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Did You Know?

• Is the following statement true or false?
• There is no way to assess the risk of any
  geographical area for wildland fires because too
  many factors are involved.

The correct answer is False
Are You FireWise?
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Hazard Assessment Map
The Colorado Wildland Urban Interface Hazard
Assessment combines housing density with
information about slope, aspect, and
vegetation. The result is a map that displays
areas of varying degrees of risk for catastrophic
wildland fire.
Are You FireWise?
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Damages Done

• Uncontrolled wildland fires affect us in many
  ways

• Loss of life and property
• Damage to air and water quality
• Soil Erosion
• Harm to wildlife and domestic animals
• Fire suppression costs
• Economic losses to communities

Are You FireWise?
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Loss of Life

• In 1994,14 firefighters lost their lives on Storm
  King Mountain near Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
• Almost every year, at least one individual,
  usually a firefighter, is killed in a wildfire.

Are You FireWise?
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Loss of Property
In a matter of minutes, a wildfire can jump from
a burning hillside, race through your subdivision
and destroy your home and your neighborhood.
Are You FireWise?
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Air Quality

• Major wildfire events can affect air quality
  dramatically, often impacting people with
  respiratory problems.
• Smoke is particularly dangerous along the Front
  Range of Colorado due to air inversion problems.

Are You FireWise?
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Water Quality

• Very hot fires destroy vegetation and cause
  significant soil damage. Soil and debris often
  run off into critical sources of potable water.

Are You FireWise?
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Soil Erosion

• When catastrophic fires burn, they are extremely
  hot because of the heavy fuels. The heat can sear
  the soil, making it impenetrable to water.
• The lack of organic material and shallow depth of
  Rocky Mountain soils often makes recovery slow.

Are You FireWise?
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Did You Know?

• Are smoke and fire the greatest danger to
  wildlife during a forest fire?

The correct answer is No
Are You FireWise?
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Wildlife Issues

• Generally, animals can escape fire, but habitat
  loss is an issue. Fire often converts habitat
  types and causes species conversion.
• The photo shows elk in the Bitterroot seeking
  refuge in a river.

Are You FireWise?
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Domestic Animals

• Wildfires often damage or destroy grazing land
  and affect agricultural operations.
• In addition, many fires cause the displacement
  and scattering of pets often making them
  difficult to locate and reunite with their
  owners.

Are You FireWise?
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Did You Know?
The Hayman fire of June 2002 was estimated to
cost

• 13,000,000.00
• 24,000,000.00
• 32,000,000.00

The correct answer is C
Are You FireWise?
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Taxpayer Dollars

• Suppression equipment, such as aircraft, crews,
  and overhead staff are very expensive to use. It
  is estimated that the Hayman fire cost 32
  million to suppress.

Are You FireWise?
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Aesthetic Values

• Resulting aesthetic issues not only have
  significant impacts on residents, but also on
  tourism-based economies in Colorado.
• Some fire scars remain for decades, while others
  return to a green, healthy appearing condition in
  only months.

Are You FireWise?
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Agencies and Programs

• Several agencies and programs are available for
  additional information and education, including
• National Fire Prevention Education Team
• Wildfire Hazard Education Team (WHET)
• FireWise

Are You FireWise?
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National Fire Prevention Education Team

• Information officers, media specialists and local
  experts are brought together to relieve the
  pressure on those fighting wildfires.
• These teams hold meetings and produce
  publications and brochures to educate wildland
  homeowners.

Are You FireWise?
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Wildfire Hazard Education Team (WHET)

• The WHET team concept is locally based. When the
  national teams are gone, the WHET teams are
  accessible for questions and concerns.
• WHET team members often serve on National Fire
  Prevention teams and are an invaluable asset due
  to their knowledge of local conditions.

Are You FireWise?
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FireWise

• The idea behind FireWise is to give homeowners
  access to information for creating defensible
  space around their homes and on their properties.

Are You FireWise?
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Why Firescape Your Forested Homesite?

• Recent large, catastrophic fires near urban areas
  have stimulated more interest in fuel hazard
  mitigation.
• For example, in June 2002 the Hayman fire
  destroyed more than 137,000 acres and 600
  structures. During the same month, nine other
  fires in Colorado destroyed over 110,632 acres
  and 168 structures.

Firescaping
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What Is Involved?

• You can reduce the risk of losing your home and
  forested property to wildland fires by
• Creating a defensible space around your home.
• Planting fire-resistant trees, shrubs, and other
  vegetation.
• Establishing an emergency water supply.
• Providing adequate access to your property that
  is well-marked.

Firescaping
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Did You Know?

• Select the best definition of Defensible Space.
• An area where all trees and shrubs are cleared at
  least 70 feet from structures located in forested
  homesites.
• An area, either man-made or natural, where the
  vegetation is modified to slow the rate and
  intensity of an advancing wildfire.

The correct answer is B
Firescaping
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Defensible Space

• Defensible space is, simply, providing room for
  firefighters to do their job.
• However, creating a defensible space does not
  mean sacrificing beauty for safety. Reducing
  forest fuels around your home can enhance its
  attractiveness if done correctly.

Firescaping
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Did You Know?

• Is the following statement true or false?
• Creating a defensible space around property in
  forested wildland will guarantee that property
  loss from wildland fires will not occur.

The correct answer is False
Firescaping
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Why Create a Defensible Space?

• Creating a defensible space will not make
  wildland property invulnerable to forest fires,
  but it will improve the ability of firefighters
  to safely protect structures, and will improve a
  structures ability to survive a low intensity
  wildfire in the absence of firefighter
  intervention.
• Creating a defensible space also reduces the
  likelihood of a structure fire spreading to
  forested areas.

Firescaping
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How to Create Defensible Space Zone 1

• Zone 1 is an area of 15 feet around the
  structure. Measure from the outside edge of the
  homes eaves and any attached structures, such as
  decks. Structures located on a slope should have
  a larger defensible space.
• Trees in this area should be considered part of
  the structure and extends the distance of the
  entire defensible space. Remove any branches that
  interfere with the roof or are within 10 feet of
  the chimney. Isolate the tree from any other
  surrounding trees.

Firescaping
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Did You Know?

• Ladder fuels are
• Tall trees.
• Small shrubs and trees.

The correct answer is B
Firescaping
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How to Create Defensible Space Zone 1

• Ladder fuels are small shrubs, trees, tree limbs
  and other material that allow fire to climb into
  the branches and foliage.
• Remove all ladder fuels from beneath the tree.
  Prune branches from trees to a height of 10 feet,
  or half the total height of the tree, whichever
  is least.

Firescaping
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How to Create Defensible Space Zone 1

• Most decks are highly combustible structures.
  They are the ultimate heat traps.
• The best design is to convert the deck to a solid
  form by fully enclosing it.

Firescaping
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How to Create Defensible Space Zone 1

• Clean pine needles, leaves and other debris from
  roofs and gutters. This will eliminate an
  ignition source for firebrands, especially during
  hot, dry weather.

Firescaping
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How to Create Defensible Space Zone 1

• Plant nothing within 3 to 5 feet of structures.
• Move propane tanks and firewood away from Zone 1.
  Many homes have survived as a fire passed, only
  to burn later from a wood pile that ignited after
  the firefighters left.

Firescaping
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How to Create Defensible Space Zone 2

• Zone 2 is an area of fuel reduction designed to
  reduce the intensity of any fire approaching your
  home. Zone 2 starts at the edge of Zone 1, 15
  feet from structures, and extends 200 feet.
• Thin trees and large shrubs. Trim dead material
  from natural vegetation closest to the buildings.
  Prune all limbs to 10 feet above the ground, or
  half the height of the tree, whichever is least.
  Mow grasses to a maximum of 6 to 8 inches in
  height.

Firescaping
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How to Create Defensible Space Zone 2

• Thin trees and large shrubs so there is at least
  10 feet between crowns.
• Crown separation is measured from the furthest
  branch of one tree to the nearest branch of the
  tree next to it.
• Use crown spacing (x) rather than stem spacing
  (y) for the measurement.

Firescaping
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How to Create Defensible Space Zone 3

• Zone 3 extends from the outer edge of Zone 2 to
  your property lines. In Zone 3, the forest
  management gradually becomes less intensive and
  subtler.
• Trees are pruned of dead materials and dead trees
  are removed. Tree limbs need to be pruned only 4
  to 5 feet above the ground. Tree crowns can be
  closer together.

Firescaping
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How to Create Defensible Space Zone 3

• Structures located on a slope should have a
  larger defensible space. The area needed for
  increased defensible space depends on the slope
  of the ground on which the structures are built.
• You can obtain specific information from your
  local Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS)
  forester or fire department.

Firescaping
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Did You Know?

• Are native plants always the safest choice for
  firescaping?

The correct answer is No
Firescaping
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Fire Resistant Vegetation

• Many naturally occurring plants in our area are
  highly flammable during the summer and can fuel a
  wildfire, causing it to spread rapidly.

Firescaping
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Fire Resistant Vegetation

• In general, fire-resistive plants
• Grow close to the ground
• Have a low sap or resin content
• Do not shed and accumulate dead branches,
  needles, leaves, or debris
• Are easily maintained and pruned
• Are drought-tolerant in some cases

Firescaping
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Signs

• When a wildfire threatens, the first few minutes
  are the most critical for saving your home.
• Firefighting personnel must be able to
  immediately locate and safely travel to your home
  in order to effectively protect it.

Firescaping
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Roads, Driveways and Bridges

• Single lane roads or driveways should have
  turnouts at regular intervals with enough space
  to allow emergency vehicles and cars to pass.
• Streets and driveways must not be too steep or
  have sharp curves this can prevent emergency
  equipment from gaining access to your home.

Firescaping
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Water Supply

• Water supply is vital for a fire department to
  protect a threatened house or extinguish a
  burning one.

Firescaping
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Make Your House Firewise

• Your house may be vulnerable to a wildfire
  because of its design, construction and/or
  location.
• Whether you are planning to build, buy or
  remodel, there are steps you can take to reduce
  the chance of your house catching fire, or resist
  further damage if it does catch fire.

Firewise Construction
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Building Site

• If you are building a new house, evaluate your
  building site. The location of a structure will
  influence the intensity and duration of the fire
  to which it is exposed.

Firewise Construction
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Did you know?

• Which is the best site to build a new home in
  wildland areas?
• On a flat area of land.
• On the top of a ridge.

The correct answer is A
Firewise Construction
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Building Site Topography

• Build on the most level portion of the property.
  Avoid ridge tops, canyons and areas between high
  points on a ridge. These are extremely hazardous
  locations for houses and firefighters because
  they become natural chimneys, increasing the
  intensity of the fire.

Firewise Construction
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Building Materials Siding/Walls

• Use fire-resistive or non-combustible
  construction materials, combined with design
  techniques to prevent or slow the penetration of
  fire beyond your homes exterior.
• Whenever possible, use brick, rock or stucco
  they resist fire much better than wood.

Firewise Construction
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Did You Know?

• The most important factors to consider for your
  homes ability to survive a wildfire are the
  quality of defensible space and
• The number of windows The type of siding
  Roofing materials

The correct answer is C
Firewise Construction
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Building Materials Roof

• Your roof has the largest surface area of your
  structure and is the most vulnerable part of your
  house. It can easily catch fire from a
  wildfires wind-blown sparks.
• Use fire-resistant roofing materials, such as
  asphalt shingles, slate or clay tile, or metal.

Firewise Construction
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Building Materials Chimneys, Stovepipes, Vents

• Cover chimneys and stovepipes with a
  non-flammable screen (mesh no larger than ½
  inch).
• Cover exterior attic, soffit and underfloor vents
  with metal wire mesh - no larger than 1/8 of an
  inch - to prevent sparks from entering your home
  through vents.

Firewise Construction
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Building Materials Foundation

• A buildings foundation comes in contact with a
  spreading wildfire before other areas of the
  structure.
• Use concrete block, cement walls, or other
  fire-resistant building materials for
  foundations.

Firewise Construction
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Building Materials Windows

• Windows are often overlooked as fire hazards, but
  can be serious risks.
• Minimize the size and number of windows on the
  downhill side of the house or the side that would
  most likely be exposed to a wildfire.

Firewise Construction
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Did You Know?

• The heat from a wildfire may be enough to ignite
  the furnishings inside your house through the
  windows, even if the glass remains intact.

The correct answer is True
Firewise Construction
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Building Materials Windows
Convective Energy 70 is deflected away 10 is
transmitted 20 is absorbed

• Glass provides only a partial barrier to fire and
  only for a short time. It fractures in the
  presence of heat. In the case of a wildland fire,
  this will happen in about five minutes.
• The arrows on top of the illustration show how
  glass deflects most of the convective energy. The
  arrows on the bottom show how glass absorbs most
  of the radiant energy of the fire.

Radiant Energy 20 is reflected 60 is
transmitted 20 is absorbed
Firewise Construction
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Building Materials Windows

• Consider both size and materials for windows and
  sliding glass doors. Multi-paned glass provides
  insulation from trapped air and gives more
  protection from radiant heat than single-paned
  glass.
• It also reduces breakage potential from
  wind-blown debris.

Firewise Construction
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Building Materials Doors

• A wood door is typically 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick.
  It can readily ignite and burn through in only 10
  minutes, which is much faster than the rest of
  the structure will burn.
• Metal doors are non-combustible and available
  with 20 minute, 45 minute, and one and one
  half-hour ratings. This makes them the most
  appropriate solution for very high hazard
  situations.

Firewise Construction
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Did You Know?
Should the view be the main consideration when
planning the location of a deck?

The correct answer is No
Firewise Construction
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Building Materials Decks and Balconies

• Enclose the undersides of balconies and decks on
  slopes with fire-resistive materials to prevent
  flames and embers from igniting your home.

Firewise Construction
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Online Publications
The following fact sheets can be found on the
Colorado State Forest Service web site at
http//www.colostate.DEPTS/CSFS, under the links
Protect your home from wildfire and Online
publications
Creating Wildfire-Defensible Zones Forest Home
Fire Safety Fire-Resistant Landscaping FireWise
Plant Materials Grass Seed Mixes to Reduce
Wildfire Hazard Vegetative Recovery after
Wildfire Soil Erosion Control after Wildfire
Resources