Colorado Association of REALTORS | Colorado Project Wildfire
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Colorado Project Wildfire

Reduce and Prevent Destruction of Land, Property, and Lives by Raising Awareness

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Welcome to Colorado Project Wildfire

On these pages you will learn how Colorado REALTORS® are working to help reduce the threat of wildfires in our communities, find educational resources to share with homeowners, and discover ways you can become more involved.

Raising Money for Victims

First, and most obvious, are our efforts to raise money for victims. Last year, the CAR Foundation has established the Boulder County Fire Relief Fund for the victims of the Marshall and Middle Fork fires. Individual Colorado REALTORS® across the state donated more than $85,000 to the Relief Fund, and CAR Leadership and the CAR Foundation pledged an additional $80,000 to create an “immediate need” grant fund to provide housing-related relief assistance to those impacted. If you’ve already made your tax-deductible financial contribution to this fund, thank you, and if you haven’t, please consider contributing to the CAR Foundation by clicking here. It is through this Relief Fund that we as REALTORS® can have a direct impact on victims of these catastrophic fires.

Share Your REALTOR® Expertise About Fire Preparedness
Clearly, just about every Colorado resident is now realizing “this could happen where I live.” We know that well over 50% of our state’s population lives in a wildfire-prone area, and that the threat of wildfire is a part of all Coloradan’s lives.

 

One of the best outcomes we can hope for is to share the information and resources our REALTOR® family has created with our clients, neighbors, and friends so that all of us can try to protect our homes and lives. We encourage you to visit our Colorado Project Wildfire website to gain access to this information and help you be the source to your clients and community network. Our website includes a wide range of toolkit resources, including downloadable Property and Insurance Wildfire Preparedness Guide (also available in hard copy), Emergency Alert Sign Ups, tip sheets on Making Your Home Fire Resistant; and Action Guide checklists for wildfire evacuations and mitigation recommendations. There are also links to many local, state, and federal agencies and organizations with the resources you and your clients need to help protect their property and themselves.

We Want to Help in Your Community

In addition, we are actively looking to engage with each of you to create and/or enhance wildfire mitigation programs in your local community. If you have interest in establishing a program in your market or grow the one you already have, we’d love to share our experiences to create an effective local program. There are also additional resources, including Colorado Project Wildfire Grant opportunities.

 

As our most engaged members of the association and our industry, you are our greatest ambassadors. We look forward to working with you to help establish and grow our Colorado Project Wildfire reach, and we ask that you please contact us with your questions and willingness to be a part of the solution in your community.

Colorado Project Wildfire Resources

Local Resources

Colorado Project Wildfire Tool Kit

Homeowners can take steps to protect their property and help alleviate the spread of wildland fires. Many Coloradans living in the foothills in ponderosa and lodgepole forests need to consider the fire-prone nature of these ecosystems.

Below are some tools to help alleviate the spread of wildland fires:

DEFENSIBLE SPACE ZONES

DEFENSIBLE SPACE ZONES

Defensible space is the area around a home or other structure that has been modified to reduce fire hazard. In this area, natural and manmade fuels are treated, cleared or reduced to slow the spread of wildfire. Creating defensible space also works in the reverse, and reduces the chance of a structure fire spreading to neighboring homes or the surrounding forest. Defensible space gives your home a fighting chance against an approaching wildfire. Creating an effective defensible space involves a series of management zones in which different treatment techniques are used.

Due to Colorado’s arid climate and fire-dependent forests, many homeowners and landowners may be particularly vulnerable to wildfires. It is important to keep this threat in mind when buying or building a home.

 

Fire is unpredictable. If there are weaknesses in your home’s fire protection scheme, fire can gain the upper hand because of some overlooked or seemingly inconsequential factor. By creating wildfire-defensible zones, homes are less vulnerable from this naturally occurring phenomenon and the chance of spreading wildfires is greatly reduced. Learn more from the links below or visit the Colorado State University by clicking here.

Sources:
International Association of Fire Chief’s RSG Program
USDA Forest Service
U.S. Dept. of the Interior
U.S. Fire Administration
Colorado State University

Colorado Project Wildfire Programs

While there are many tools available to help educate people about Wildfire prevention and the ways to reduce your risk, Colorado REALTORS® strongly believe in tapping into the numerous local programs and fire prevention resources available in communities throughout the state as the most up-to-date, geographically-focused information available to Colorado residents. Through our Project Wildfire Program, Colorado REALTORS® are working in partnership with other like-minded fire prevention organizations across our state to bring education and awareness, as well as access to resources directly to residents in their local communities.

Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan (FAIR) Association: The purpose of the FAIR Plan is to provide property insurance to residential and commercial owners who cannot participate in the market due to nonrenewal or unattainable premiums. LEARN MORE>>

Insurance Coverage for Loss Declared Wildfire Disaster: The law requires insurers to cover the full cost of rebuilding, replacement, and repair to current building code. The law also mandates insurers to comply with minimum requirements in offering, issuing, or renewing homeowners insurance policies. Homeowners have more time to replace and rebuild property in the same or new location. Insurers must include an additional living expense coverage in the event of a loss from wildfire (declared disaster) of at least two years. LEARN MORE>>

Insurance Companies Required to Notify Coverage Cancellation or renewal refusal 60 days (from 30 days):  LEARN MORE>>

WUI Code Board: By July 1, 2025, the board must adopt statewide building codes and standards to reduce the wildfire risk to people and property. The rules must define the wildland urban interface (WUI), identify which areas of the state lay within WUIs, and adopt minimum codes to protect life and property. The rules must consider the fiscal, environmental and safety impacts of adopting the codes, and must apply to permitting and inspections of new construction and substantial remodels. LEARN MORE>>

The Wildfire Resilient Homes Grant Program: To increase resiliency to wildfire by retrofitting or improving residential and nonresidential structures. LEARN MORE>>

Tax Exemption: Provide financial relief through sales and use tax exemptions for materials necessary to the repair or rebuilding of a dwelling affected by wildfire. LEARN MORE>>

Colorado State Forest Service: To conduct community outreach and education to landowners in high wildfire hazard areas on best mitigation practices. Tax credit for landowners who perform wildfire mitigation on their property up to $625. LEARN MORE>>

Forest Restoration & Wildfire Risk Mitigation Grant Program: This program provides state support through competitive grant funds that encourage community-level actions across the state for some specific purposes. LEARN MORE>>

Forest Suppression Ponds: In areas where there is not enough water for all uses, ponds that are constructed rather than existing as features of nature, even those that have existed for decades, must have a legal means of storing or exposing water to evaporation. LEARN MORE>>

Disaster Resilience Rebuilding Program: The program is available to assist homeowners, businesses, local governments and communities rebuild after natural disasters and is intended to help local communities and the state recover from the devastating physical and economic effects of natural disasters.n. LEARN MORE>>

CASE STUDIES

Wildfire Partners: When Lester Karplus moved to the mountains near Nederland, Colorado he knew it was a matter of “when not if” his log home would be in the path of a wildfire. That day arrived in July 2016 when the Cold Springs Fire forced 1,900 residents to flee “100-foot” flames on a moment’s notice. While eight neighboring homes burned, Karplus’ home and seven others in the path of the fire survived — all participating in Wildfire Partners, Boulder County’s community wildfire mitigation program that provides homeowners with a comprehensive on-site property risk assessment that includes step-by-step mitigation needs, resources, a consumer-help line and follow-up inspections. The result – a coveted “Wildfire Partners Certified” yard sign and reduced wildfire risk. Many insurance companies accept Wildfire Partners assessment to meet their mitigation requirements. Karplus says homeowners buying in wildfire-prone areas need to ask themselves: “Are we willing to be caretakers of the land?” If the answer is yes, they must understand the inevitable risk of living with wildfire and the long-term commitment needed to protect their property. For more information: wildfirepartners.org.

 

REALFire®: After living in his Beaver Creek condominium for two decades, Michael Benge purchased a home on the mountain and knew it was a “no brainer” to evaluate necessary fire mitigation work — both in terms of creating defensible space around his new home, as well as fire-resistive materials in new construction. Benge was thrilled to learn from his HOA that he could receive a free, on-site wildfire risk property assessment through the REALFire® program, thanks to support from Eagle County, the Vail Board of REALTORS®, and other local partners.

Benge believes homeowners throughout WUI communities would benefit by taking advantage of the voluntary opportunities to become more educated on wildfire risk, and the available mitigation resources to enhance the beauty of their property and invest in the safety and value of their home. Resources: REALFire.net

(Jan 4, 2022) How to prepare for a wildfire in Colorado – As wildfire season grows longer and more catastrophic, experts say to map evacuation routes and gather emergency supplies. >> Read More

(Jan 2, 2022)- “Where do we go to escape this?” The Marshall fire is Colorado’s new reality. The Marshall fire’s spread through a densely developed, urban environment made one thing clear: Very few parts of Colorado are completely safe from wildfire. >> READ MORE

(May 10, 2021) 2021 Routt County Wildfire Mitigation Council Conference Webinar Wildfire mitigation starts with YOU as a landowner. This webinar will focus on what landowners can do to reduce wildfire risk around their property. Detailed information will be provided on the Home Ignition Zone/Defensible space concepts and how to get ready to evacuate in the event of a wildfire. >> Watch the Video.

(April 7, 2021)- The Colorado State Forest Service announced today that it is accepting proposals for FRWRM grants from Colorado HOAs, community groups, local governments, fire protection districts, utilities and nonprofit organizations seeking funding to improve forest health, conduct forest restoration and reduce wildfire risk on non-federal land in the state.>> READ MORE

(March 23 2021) Potentially record breaking fire season – The West, despite a few days of intense winter, is far drier than it was leading up to last year’s record breaking fires. >> READ MORE

(March 22, 2021)- Helicopter could be ‘a game-changer’ for firefighting in Colorado –Gov. Jared Polis on Sunday traveled to Centennial Airport to sign into law a bill that will allow the state to purchase a $24 million helicopter specially equipped to fight some of the state’s biggest wildfires.>> READ MORE

(March 15, 2021) Colorado braces for what’s next after last year’s explosive wildfires – Federal forest firefighter Ben McLane got a visceral feel for the West’s intensifying wildfire predicament when his 20-man Hotshot crew rolled into Colorado last summer and faced the lightning-sparked Pine Gulch blaze — flames racing across bone-dry land and, each day, leaping beyond containment boundaries the firefighters hacked into soil. >> READ MORE

(February 2021)- Summit REALTORS® Raise Over $19,000 for Neighboring Communities Ravaged by Wildfires> The REALTORS® of Summit, Park and Lake Counties recently raised money to support residents who have been evacuated or have lost their homes during the Grand County wildfires. >> READ MORE

Facebook Live event on Tuesday, February 23 – The event will focus on the five fundamental tenets of Outthink Wildfire™ and feature remarks and a live Q&A session with our panel of industry experts. >> READ MORE

(January 2021)- Boulder County Community Services in partnership with the Community Foundation Boulder County and Jewish Family Service launches Wildfire Mental Health Program > In response to the October 2020 Cal-Wood and Lefthand Canyon wildfires, Boulder County Community Services, Community Foundation Boulder County, and Jewish Family Service are launching the Wildfire Mental Health Program (WMHP) to assist fire-impacted individuals and families seeking crisis support. >> READ MORE

(October 2020)- Can we expect more fire seasons like this? Yes, absolutely’: Fires could impact where and how people live in Colorado. As fires destroy homes in this state, many will still rebuild in the same areas, but one expert says we need to rebuild smarter. >> READ MORE

(October 2020)- Critical actions for Colorado small business owners to reduce wildfire risk. Fires raging across the Front Range are jeopardizing our communities. >> READ MORE

(Oct 2020)- Colorado wildfires blew up over the weekend with evacuations and structure loss. RMIA partnered with the Colorado Division of Insurance on a consumer advisory that went out in October. >> Read More

(September 2020)- Summit REALTORS® Focus on Community Advocacy to Bring Positivity During Challenging Times: Earlier this month, REALTOR® volunteers were able to assist an elderly couple in need of slash removal for the Summit County Chipping Program to prevent fire hazards on their property in Pebble Creek, north of Silverthorne. Volunteers also did retread work on a popular trail in the Soda Creek Trail System located in Keystone, Colorado with Friends of the Dillon Ranger District. >>READ MORE

(July 2020)- Colorado Politics: Neglect Is a Steep Bet Against Colorado’s Wildfires: In a recent column for Colorado Politics, Joey Bunch highlighted the decreased federal and state funding for combating wildfires in Colorado. For example, Bunch notes the Colorado General Assembly appropriated just $30 million in the budget past last month – down from $31.3 million in 2019. However, in 2017 the Division of Fire Protection and Control received $58 million and in 2018 it received $71 million.  >>Read more

(June 2020)- Gov. Polis signed Executive Order D 2020 072 directing the transfer of funds from the Disaster Emergency Fund to the Wildfire Emergency Response Fund so it has sufficient funds to assist local jurisdictions.:  “COVID-19 has strained our first responders as they have mobilized to save lives. As identified in the State’s 2020 Wildfire Preparedness Plan, local fire departments have reduced availability to provide response and assistance outside of their home jurisdiction, and firefighting resources from other states and federal agencies have limited capacity,” the Executive Order reads. The administration released guidance to employers and places of public accommodation to ensure equal opportunity employment and to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals, including those with COVID-19, exposure to COVID-19, and symptoms of COVID-19. Read the guidance here.

(April 30, 2020) Safer at Home Allows Time for Wildfire Season Preparation for More than Half of State’s Residents Living in WUI: May 2 marks 7th annual Wildfire Community Preparedness Day and kickoff to Wildfire Awareness Month. While COVID-19 has changed facets of Coloradans’ personal and professional lives and required residents everywhere to stay at home, for more than half of the state’s population who live in a wildfire prone area, the stay at home and safer at home mandates present an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming wildfire season.>> READ MORE

(May 4, 2020) Act Now Against Wildfire: A moderately dry year could spell an early onset for fire season in the Southwest, but homeowners can act now to harden their properties against wildfire. Even though the pandemic declared over COVID-19 has altered operations at the West Region Wildfire Council, its site assessment and cost-share programs remain available. >> READ MORE

(Feb 6,  2020) Home, Auto Insurance Premiums Could Go Up To Fund Disaster Mitigation: If you drive a car or own a home or a business, what you pay for insurance will go up under a new bill at the state Capitol. Over the last few years, state funding for disaster mitigation has gone from $10 million to $3 million. Now, some lawmakers want us to pitch in. The legislation is aimed at mitigating damage from any kind of hazard. >> READ MORE

(May 15, 2020) SUCCESSFUL WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS DAY: Sunshine and moderate temperatures welcomed Red Rock Ranch volunteers as they walked miles of roads hand delivering important wildfire preparedness information to nearly 200 homes. The May 4 National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is a nationwide activity sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association and State Farm Insurance to increase awareness of the wildfire threat and promote community preparedness. >> READ MORE

(May 1, 2019) MAY 4 MARKS 6TH ANNUAL WILDFIRE COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS DAY: With more than half of the state’s population now living in or near areas that are prone to wildland fire, public and private organizations across the state are teaming up as a part of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day (May 4) to educate and help Colorado residents to prepare for the growing threats created by wildfires. >>Learn more

(March 20,  2019) Wildland Fire Strategy Discussion April 1: The Colorado Association of REALTORS is proud to support the ongoing efforts and discussions taking place around Wildfire education, mitigation, safety and recovery for the residents throughout our state. As a part of our long-term commitment to work with local, state and federal agencies and organizations on these important issues, including our own Colorado Project Wildfire initiatives, we are proud to be a part of the half-day Wildland Fire Strategy discussion taking place on the morning of April 1 in Denver. Please see the details of this important gathering in the attached invite. We hope to see you on April 1. >>Learn more

(November 26, 2018) Half of Coloradans Now Live in Areas at Risk to Wildfires: The number of people living in areas at risk to the effects of wildland fire increased by nearly 50 percent from 2012 to 2017, based on new Colorado Wildfire Risk Assessment data released this week by the Colorado State Forest Service. As of 2017, approximately 2.9 million people live in Colorado’s wildland-urban interface (WUI) – the area where human improvements are built close to, or within, natural terrain and flammable vegetation – compared to 2 million people just five years earlier. The new figure represents approximately half of the state’s total population. >> MORE

(October 5, 2018) REALTORS® JOIN FORCES WITH INSURANCE AND WILDFIRE SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS TO OFFER PREPAREDNESS GUIDE FOR RESIDENTS: With one of the most destructive wildfire seasons in state history burning homes and endangering communities, the Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) has teamed up with the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association (RMIIA) and other state wildfire prevention and insurance stakeholders to create a consumer-focused Colorado Property and Insurance Wildfire Preparedness Guide. >>MORE

(June 3, 2018) What to do when you’re put on pre-evacuation notice for a wildfire? As summer kicks in, more and more wildfires are popping up across Colorado. >>MORE

(March 19, 2018) Fighting Fire With Knowledge. Broker-owner Bonnie Smith uses political advocacy and education to protect Colorado homes from wildfires and strengthen her market. >>MORE

(July 13, 2017) West Region Wildfire Council offers fire risk property checks. MONTROSE – With fire danger lurking, there is a way to protect your home if you live in the Montrose-Delta area. >>MORE

(July 13, 2017) Videos. Two TV stations highlighting the programs and resources being offered by our partners at the West Region Wildfire Council.>> KJCT News Piece >>KKCO News Piece

wildfire photos

(June 12, 2017) Consumer Advisory: Preparing for the 2017 wildfire season. DENVER – In April, Colorado’s Division of Fire Prevention and Control issued its 2017 wildfire outlook for the state.>> MORE

(June 8, 2017) The Importance of fire mitigation despite favorable forecast. DENVER — Colorado wildland firefighters are preparing for what is forecasted to be an average or possibly even below average wildfire season. >> MORE

(September 14, 2016) The Summit Association of REALTORS (SAR) Awards Defensible Space Grants. SAR has long been committed to residential fire mitigation efforts. Now it’s time to up its game. “Our board decided to take the next step,” said Sarah Thorsteinson, the CEO of SAR. “Instead of educating we decided to assist.” >>MORE

(July 20, 2016) US Forest Service Praises homeowner’s defensible space while the Beaver Creek Fire is now almost 35,000 acres. >>MORE

(May 25, 2016) Colorado Association of REALTORS® and West Region Wildfire Council Bring REALTOR® and Homeowner Wildfire Awareness and Education Program to West/Southwest Colorado. Read the press release. See the Montrose Daily Article. See the Ouray Article.

(August 6, 2015) REALTORS® launch push for wildfire mitigation education in Evergreen : Alex Gulledge uses chainsaw on a pole to remove low hanging branches while doing fire mitigation at a home in Pine, Colorado on July 28, 2015. Local fire officials along with the Colorado and mountain area associations of realtors want to educate homeowners on how to properly mitigate private property against wildfire damage. >>MORE

(August 3, 2015) Study Shows People Are Aware of Wildfire Danger : People living in areas at high risk for wildfires are aware of the danger but underestimate the peril when compared with firefighting professionals, according to a new study led by a University of Colorado researcher. >>MORE

(July 28 2015) Colorado Association of REALTORS® Launches Colorado Project Wildfire: Consumer education and awareness program designed to help reduce and prevent destruction of land, property, and lives from wildfires. >>MORE

(June 29 2015) Summit County Set to Start Summer Chipping Program: Summit County’s wood chipping program is set to go, with crews coming out to neighborhoods starting June 29. Crews will make two sweeps through each neighborhood between June and October, picking up piles of unwanted slash from the curb. >>MORE

(April 2015) Fire Crews Prepare For Average, Above Average Wildfire Season: Wildfire experts are predicting that Colorado will experience an average to above average wildfire season this year. They need aerial support to attack fires and limit damage. That requires training. About a dozen agencies gathered at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora on Friday morning to participate in aerial wildfire training. That training happens about once a year. >>MORE

(April 2015) Wildfire season starts slow for 2nd year in a row: Western wildfires have always been shape-shifting beasts, roaring to life wherever there is hot and dry weather, wind and fuel. But last year’s relatively cool and wet summer brought relief to parts of the region — including Colorado — that had been especially hard the previous few years. >>MORE

Get a copy of the 2024 Colorado Project Wildfire brochure with helpful information.

Why REALTORS®?

Colorado REALTORS® are working in partnership with other like-minded fire prevention organizations across our state to bring education and awareness, as well as access to resources directly to residents in their local communities.

Insurance Stories

The Colorado Association of REALTORS® wants to know your experience related to insuring your property and/or property of a client you have worked with. Please share your experience here.