Front Range Fire Planning
Learn more about tips and resources to ensure you’re ready for fire season.
For many people living in the Front Range or western United States, wildfire is not a far-off improbability but a fact of life. Most people have a wildfire story - where they were during the 2021 Marshall Fire, people they know who lost their homes, or the fire damage they saw while driving to their campsite - and for me, it’s the 2012 Black Forest Fire. My family and I lived very close to the mandatory evacuation line, and the glow of the fire was visible from our yard. Since then, we’ve implemented a few strategies to prepare for fire season.
Photo Credit: US Army, Wikimedia Commons. 2013 Black Forest Fire.
A quick note on general fire safety: House fires can happen at any time for a variety of reasons. Make sure you and your household have a disaster plan in place, whether for house fires or wildfires - check out the websites linked at the bottom of this page for more information.
In Case of Emergency
Photo Credit: Joe Ross, Flickr
Evacuation Tub: From approximately April to October, my family keeps a packed evacuation tub in our house. That way, if we have to suddenly evacuate, we can just grab our tub (and emergency supply bags described below) and get in the car. Items to include:
Important documents and files - passports and birth certificates, financial documents, insurance information, etc.
Keepsakes and photos - only items you cannot replace!
Emergency Supply Bags: It is a good idea to pack a bag for each member of your family (including pets) that contains the following:
3-4 days of food and water (preferably 1 gallon per person per day, as you may use it for sanitation as well as drinking)
2-3 changes of clothes
3-4 N95 masks
Toothbrush and toothpaste
A phone charger, or even a portable charger if you have one
If applicable - glasses or extra contact lenses
If applicable - extra doses of prescription medication
If applicable - menstruation supplies
At least one person in your household should carry the following in their bag: first aid kit, flashlight with extra batteries, hand sanitizer, and portable radio (if you have or can get one)
Anything else you think your household might need - everyones’ needs are different!
Emergency Checklist
Reddit user TopRamenisha suggests keeping a checklist taped to the inside of your front door to remind you of items you use regularly and cannot pack in advance. Preparing a checklist can save valuable time in the event of an evacuation, and you’re less likely to forget your essentials. But, if you can pack it ahead of time - do so!
Keep your evacuation tub and emergency supply bags in an easily accessible location and ensure you and your family have an evacuation plan.
Fire Mitigation
We’ve discussed a few ways to prepare yourself and your family for evacuations - what about your property? In locations that are particularly at-risk for wildfires, there are lots of resources available to help prepare your house to survive wildfire damages. In the Black Forest Fire I mentioned above, a few of our family friends lived in the burned area - most of their homes survived (with some smoke damage) because they had taken precautions!
Photo Credit: Pacific Southwest Forest Service USDA, Flickr
Part of fire mitigation includes making a defensible space around your home by clearing debris, pruning lower branches of trees, and more. Trained mitigation technicians can assist in clearing certain trees that may be hazards, and may have more specific suggestions based on a survey of your property. Check with your city to see what is recommended for your area.
It’s also a good idea to coordinate with your neighbors. What are their plans in case of a fire? What are they doing for fire mitigation? Depending on how close your homes are, your actions may help reduce their risks from fire - and vice versa!
One final tip - consider setting up alerts from your weather app of choice (I use WeatherBug). If you don’t get emergency texts from your city, these apps may also notify you of inclement weather or disaster alerts.
More information:
The Colorado Springs Fire Department has a collection of resources related to both home safety and wildfire mitigation, and COSWildfireReady has an excellent set of resources as well.
Ready.gov offers a thorough (and free) disaster planning tool.
Living With Fire also has a great wildfire evacuation checklist, and includes ways you can prepare well before evacuation.
Add any additional tips in the comments!
