Fire Risk

Fire Risk

As blazes in Colorado threaten more homes and people, KUNC鈥檚 three-part series explores how Front Range communities are adapting.

Leigh Paterson

KUNC

Environment

Clean your gutters, rake up your leaves: some household chores can also protect against fire

Leigh Paterson

While some fire-impacted communities in Northern Colorado rebuild their homes, other residents are thinking about how they can make their existing homes more fire resistant.

Smoke plume from the Marshall and Middle Fork wildfires visible from Longmont on Dec. 30, 2021.

Henry Zimmerman/KUNC

暗黑爆料

After the Marshall Fire, Boulder County makes changes to help people get out faster in an emergency

Brittany Cronin

While more than 37,000 people escaped the Marshall Fire last year, the chaos that ensued prompted an overhaul of how these communities evacuate.

Heidi Newlin, co-owner of Cooper Building Group in Louisville, flips through a client鈥檚 rebuilding plans during a recent meeting. This custom builder has completely shifted its focus to fire resistant construction since the Marshall Fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Boulder County last December.

Leigh Paterson

KUNC

Environment

Iron fences, gravel landscaping and hi-tech vents: Marshall Fire survivors rebuild safer homes

Leigh Paterson

Homeowners in Boulder County are finally starting to rebuild, nine months after the Marshall Fire devastated the area. Many residents are constructing their new homes using fire-resistant techniques.

Trying to make your existing home more fire resistant? Here are some basic tips:

Cover roof and attic vents in 鈪� inch mesh to prevent embers from entering.
Keep your yard in good condition! Rake up piles of leaves and trim any branches that hang over the home. Remove dead vegetation and debris from gutters and out from under decks and porches.
Avoid flammable materials, like wood mulch, within five feet of the home.
Avoid storing flammable materials, like cloth patio furniture, under decks. If you have to evacuate, bring those items indoors.
Consider removing any flammable vegetation planted close to the home, such as juniper trees and rosemary bushes.

Assessing wildfire risk

These maps from can help people assess what the fire risk is in their area. Click on a map to view the interactive version and see charts and resources for your county.