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for a free Wildfire Assessment, or contact:
Eagle County
970-328-8816
katie.jenkins@eaglecounty.us
It can happen here.
It can happen here.
Twenty of Colorado’s largest wildfires have occurred within the last twenty years. Four out of the five largest fires in state history have occurred within the last five years, including the most destructive fire in state history, the Marshall Fire, on December 30, 2021.
Warmer temperatures, drought, and continued development in the wildland-urban interface have made wildfire mitigation a top priority for Eagle County.
By taking action around your own home to reduce your wildfire risk, you will help to create unified and fire-adapted communities throughout Eagle County. The tasks listed below can be completed at any time to increase you and your family's safety.
Additionally, through advance preparation such as making a plan, building a "go-bag," and signing up for EC Alert, you and your family will be better prepared in the event of a wildfire. See below for actions YOU can take.
Task 1
Be in the know and sign up for the Eagle County Alert system to receive the latest information about wildfire incidents and evacuation notices. Subscribers can elect to receive
time-sensitive emergency messages to their phone, desktop, and/or mobile device.
Download the ReachWell Mobile App, and add Eagle County Alerts. For more alerting options or to customize your alerts, visit www.ECAlert.org.
Task 2
Call your agent or insurance company this wildfire season to discuss your policy limits and to make sure that your policy reflects the correct square footage and features in your home and includes coverage for smoke damage and debris removal. If you are a renter, call your renters insurance provider to confirm that your policy includes wildfire damages. Click here for questions that you can ask your insurance provider to ensure you are covered appropriately.
Task 3
Make a plan and complete your Emergency Checklist by determining your evacuation route and creating an emergency supply kit with plans for
your 6 P's:
- People and pets
- Papers, phone numbers and important documents
- Prescriptions, vitamins, and eyeglasses
- Pictures and memorabilia
- Personal computers (information on hard drive and removable memory)
- Plastic (credit cards, debit cards) and cash
Task 4
Learn about wildfire safety and steps that you can take to reduce wildfire risk in and around your home by signing up for a REALFire home assessment. These voluntary assessments are performed by trained fire professionals and may qualify you for a cost-share assistance grant that will cover a portion of your mitigation work.
To learn more and to submit an application, please visit REALFire.net
Preparedness Recap
Thank you for joining us in creating a more wildfire-prepared county. This month, you've followed critical steps by signing up for EC Alert, moving firewood away from structures, making a plan that satisfies your emergency checklist, and learning about how to create defensible space around your home with a REALFire assessment. Congratulations, you are now Wildfire Ready!
The home ignition zone can be broken down into 3 zones based on proximity to the structure.
ZONE 1: (0-5ft) This is the most critical zone and should be clear of combustible materials, including mulches, grasses, and other combustible vegetation.
ZONE 2: (5-30ft) This area should have sizeable spaces between fuels to prevent rapid fire spread towards the structure.
ZONE 3: (30-100ft and beyond) This zone prioritizes keeping fire on the ground to decrease fire intensity by removing ladder fuels and excessive vegetative growth.
Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Katie Jenkins conducts a REALfire assessment with a homeowner.
Resources
Resources
For information about open burn permits or building permits in Eagle County, visit Eagle County Mitigation and Wildfire Protection
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