South Metro Wildfire Community Preparedness Newsletter
While wildfire risk has typically peaked during the summer, Colorado has experienced huge wildfires every month of the year, with increasing fire danger even in winter! South Metro Fire Rescue wants to ensure that you and your neighborhood feel safe year round, but especially while approaching this summer.
In honor of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, the Community Risk Reduction Team has created an e-newsletter with valuable information and resources to help your community stay prepared.
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What is Wildfire Community Preparedness Day?
Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is a campaign that encourages people and organizations everywhere to come together on a single day to take action to raise awareness and reduce wildfire risks. It is held annually in the United States and Canada on the first Saturday in May - MAY 3, 2025!
Nearly 9 out of 10 wildfires nationwide are caused by humans and could have been prevented. - Smokey Bear
Not all wildfires are harmful to the environment or communities. However, you do need to know how to protect yourself and your homes from the ones that are.
With devastating wildfires in the news, and wildfire season upon us, it's important that we all look at what we can do personally to prevent, prepare for, and survive a wildfire. Follow the steps below to make sure you are prepared for any emergency Colorado may have for us.
STEP 1 - Reverse 9-1-1
Stay informed and get notified to when and where an emergency is happening. Fire department agencies will want to notify communities of evacuation warnings or orders, changes in fire direction, or other life-saving information. Reverse 9-1-1 allows the first responders to communicate to citizens in order to keep them safe.
SIGN UP FOR YOUR COUNTY'S REVERSE 9-1-1 HERE
STEP 2 - Learn about Wildfires in Colorado
Just under half of all Coloradans live in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) and are at risk from wildfires.
Wildland-Urban Interface is the areas where homes meet or intermingle with undeveloped land. These areas pose a significantly higher risk of wildland fires. Knowing your risk will help you prioritize your wildfire mitigation plans.
STEP 3 - Home Hardening
The most important concept when considering home hardening for wildfire mitigation: Start with your home and move outward. We tend to be more afraid of the large trees or brush at the edge of our property or even our neighbor's property, but research shows mitigating risks in the immediate area around your home makes the biggest difference in protecting your home against wildfires. This zone, just 0-5 feet out from your home, includes your roof, siding material, attic vents, leaf and debri build up, and the reduction or elimination of other combustible materials.
Visit South Metro's page on Preparing for Wildfires for more information on how your home can survive a wildfire.
The Colorado State Forest Service has provided these 3 guides about your Home Ignition Zone and reducing your wildfire risk through fire-resistant and low-flammability landscaping.
CSFS Home Ignition Zone.pdfCSFS Fire-Resistant Landscaping.pdfCSFS Low-Flammability Landscape Plants.pdf
South Metro Fire Rescue has created a Emergency Preparedness Guide for you to better prepare for multiple types of emergencies.
The NFPA has also created a Wildfire Community Preparedness Toolkit for you and your neighborhood!
After cleaning up the landscape around your home, visit either Jefferson and Douglas County's Slash-Mulch Collection sites that are open throughout the summer!
STEP 4 - Homeowner Insurance
The Colorado Division of Insurance offers information to help people better understand how to navigate homeowners insurance in regards to wildfires. Review their toolkit to make sure you are fully protected should a wildfire destroy or damage your home.
Homeowner Insurance Toolkit
Additional Wildfire Resources
Children often do not consider or grasp the potential danger to themselves or others in regards to lighting fires. They do not know how an entire community can be affected by their misuse of fire. If you are concerned parent, educator, mental health professional, or community member, our resources are designed to identify, intervene, and educate children about the dangers and consequences of youth fire setting.
Please visit our page on Youth Fire Setting for more information.
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Reach out to the South Metro Community Risk Reduction Team with any questions you may have about Wildfire and Emergency Preparedness. We are here for you!
