Creating Defensible Space

To help reduce your risk of wildfire exposure, the Colorado Springs Fire Department recommends creating a defensible space around your property. Contrary to popular belief, this does not mean clear-cutting a space around your home or your entire property. Defensible space utilizes a fire-resistant landscape design alongside fuels management to reduce your risk of an exposure fire. CSFD states, “Fuels management includes selecting plant materials that have less susceptibility to ignition and providing adequate clearance to homes.”

Defensible space focuses on the first 30 feet around a structure or the property line, whichever happens to come first. You will want to create a separation of 15 feet between your home and any combustible vegetation. This will act as a barrier to protect against fire spreading to the structure. However, this space does not have to be barren. Landscaping rock accompanied by high moisture vegetation, such as deciduous plants, can create an inviting space. The remaining 15 feet do not necessarily need to follow this design, but they do need to be properly mitigated and maintained. This includes keeping grasses mowed to no more than 4 inches in height, raking up pine needs and leaves, and pruning lower branches of trees. It is important to note you can’t clear or maintain vegetation on property that does not belong to you.

Planting the Right Foliage

Coniferous trees and shrubs (such as Pines, Junipers, Firs, and Spruces) are highly flammable due to their high oil and resin content. It is part of the current fire code that all conifers shall not be allowed within 15 feet of a main structure or accessory dwelling. Instead, plant deciduous trees and plants (such as Aspens, Chokecherries, Oaks, Locusts, Cottonwoods, Maples, and Willows) or flower beds. Deciduous plants have a high moisture content, making them able to better withstand the heat of a fire. Below is a list of low-flammability plants to consider leaving in your yard or replacing coniferous species with.

Ways to Mitigate Wildfire Risk

It is important to know your risk of a wildfire and ways to mitigate your property to reduce your risk. Keeping your gutters clear of combustible plant matter and incorporating landscape designs to break up fire fuels can help increase a structure’s survivability in the event of a wildfire. Keeping the area under your deck clear of storage and debris, and placing rock, will help to keep flames from having a place to spread and gather close to your home. You can also call the Wildfire Mitigation team to help assess your wildfire risk and offer suggestions on how to mitigate your risk. You can learn more at https://www.coswildfireready.org/defensible-space.